“Throughout the 1930s, Nazi Germany prepared for war. Hitler suspended civil liberties, using propaganda, violence and intimidation to seize full control of the country and its military. On September 1, 1939, his campaign of international aggression turned to all-out war as he invaded Poland, triggering the most devastating conflict the world has ever seen.

“Hitler’s alliance with fascist Italy and imperial Japan further extended the theatres of war, drawing more countries under the dark shroud of violence. Untold millions of military personnel and civilians around the world were killed as the war raged on.

“Most tragically, Hitler’s rise to power enabled him to carry out the Holocaust – a vile campaign of racist hatred that murdered over 6 million Jews. Over two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population were ruthlessly tortured and killed in death camps across the continent. Never before had the world seen such disgusting, targeted violence.

“More than a million courageous Canadians served in our armed forces during the war. Over 45,000 of these heroes died in World War II, and 55,000 more were wounded. As we mark the anniversary of the start of the war, I invite all Canadians to reflect on their heroic sacrifice. Today, 84 years after Hitler’s invasion of Poland, we must remain vigilant and faithfully work to defend freedom and justice wherever it is under attack.

“Lest we forget.”