Join CPAC and cpac.ca to mark of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Events in France include a ceremony at Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery (June 5), followed by a Canadian national ceremony at the Juno Beach Centre with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Prince of Wales joining veterans (June 6).
An international commemoration is also planned at Omaha Beach.
Back in Canada, a wreath laying ceremony is planned at Ottawa's National War Memorial to mark D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
On the morning of June 6, 1944, a flotilla of 110 Canadian warships crossed the English Channel as part of history’s largest seaborne invasion.
Their destination was the Normandy coast of France, held by Germany since 1940.
There were 359 Canadian deaths at Juno Beach and thousands of casualties throughout the Normandy campaign, but an Allied foothold in western Europe was secure.
More than 14,000 soldiers landed, with another 10,000 sailors onboard ships and the Royal Canadian Air Force providing support from above.
How did parliamentarians react inside the House of Commons? Browse our interactive feature to read the speeches and learn more from the annotations.
June 6, 1944: D-Day and Parliament
Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King confirms to MPs that the Allied invasion of France is underway.
King repeats his radio address from earlier in the day, along with messages from Supreme Commander Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
King and Opposition Leader Gordon Graydon also discuss expediting parliamentary business in the wake of D-Day.
June 8, 1944: Next Steps?
Defence Minister J.L. Ralston updates the House of Commons on the Normandy campaign, but offers few concrete details.
June 12, 1944: Casualties
The opposition asks for information on Canadian casualties in France since the Normandy landings six days prior.
TOP IMAGE: Troops of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade going ashore at Bernières-sur-mer on June 6, 1944. (Gilbert Alexander Milne/Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/PA-122765)
