Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement to mark the United Nations’ annual International D ay of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust:

“On this solemn 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz , the largest Nazi concentration camp, I join Canadians and the international community in commemorating the millions of men, women, and children, who suffered, died and lost loved ones during one of the most heinous chapters in human history.

“Through indescribable atrocities, the fundamental and universal principles of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law were desecrated during the Holocaust.

“As we mourn those who were murdered by the Nazis more than six decades ago and honour the legacy of those who survived, let us use the lessons of the past to remind us of the importance of tolerance, and inspire us to take a stand against hatred and discrimination, including anti-Semitism in all its forms.

“We must never allow the crimes of the past to be repeated or forgotten.”

Märkmed: