May 1, 2000
Release Number 26

OTTAWA — Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) President, Moshe Ronen, today warmly welcomed the Manitoba Government’s passage of legislation recognizing Holocaust Memorial Day for the province. “We commend Premier Doer and his government for this outstanding initiative. As the son of Holocaust survivors, I am keenly aware of the importance of this day to all who wish to ensure that our society never ventures down the path to racism and genocide. All Canadians have a stake in remembering the Holocaust and its roots in the racist ideology of the Nazis. Through this day and the ongoing education of our children, we can remember and strive to make the world a better place.”

Howard Morry, President of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg added that, “I am proud that our Manitoba legislature has responded to this issue of such importance to the Jewish community and to all Manitobans. We are honoured that the Premier will be speaking at our Holocaust Memorial Day Service atthe only Holocaust Monument on the grounds of a Legislature in Canada. This legislation embodies the openness and generosity that represent the bestvalues of our province.

“This is the type of initiative that encourages us to continue our outreach efforts in anti-racism education,” added Michael Lazar, Vice-President of Community Relations and member of the CJC Community Relations Committee. “The passage of this legislation and the Premier’s address are key features of our week of Yom Hashoah programs. The past must speak to and be relevant to the future. This initiative can only make such efforts stronger.”

Manitoba joins British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Ontario as provinces, which have passed legislation officially recognizing a Holocaust Memorial Day, with support and encouragement from CJC and its UIA-Federation partners. It is hoped that the remaining provinces will consider such legislation in the coming year.

For further information, please contact:

Rubin FriedmanNational Communications DirectorCanadian Jewish CongressTel: (613) 233-8703rubinf@cjc.ca

Evelyn HechtDirector of Community RelationsJewish Federation of Winnipeg/Combined Jewish Appeal Tel: (204) 477-7423