In honour of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Norway and the Netherlands, both national flags are raised at Government House today. The warm relationship that exists between Canada, Norway, and the Netherlands can be traced back to difficult days at the end of the Second World War when Canada played a key role in liberating the people in both nations.

Canada’s role in the Second World War is one in which we take great pride. Nova Scotia is proud of the role it played, not only in military operations and the provision of food, personnel and armaments during the war, but the role we played in welcoming refugees fleeing Nazi occupation.

Today, we feel gratitude for the Canadian and Allied soldiers who served in the Second World War. There is no way to adequately thank them for their invaluable contributions to the wellbeing of our society.

To learn more about the liberation of the Netherlands and Norway, please visit Liberation 80, Veterans Affairs Canada.