Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the following statement today on Raoul Wallenberg Day:

“Today we honor Raoul Wallenberg, a hero and remarkable humanist who risked his life to save Jews in German-occupied Hungary from persecution, deportation to concentration camps and death in the Holocaust.

“Mr. Wallenberg, whom the United Nations has dubbed ‘the greatest humanist of the 20th century’^e Century” was honored as Canada’s first honorary citizen in 1985. The Swedish diplomat and businessman saved the lives of tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews in just six months between July 1944 and January 1945 by issuing diplomatic passports guaranteeing them immunity. He also established a network of refuges, which operated under Swedish diplomatic protection to provide sanctuary and protection to people fleeing persecution by the Nazi regime Tragically, he disappeared in 1945 after being arrested by the Soviets and sent to forced labor camps In 2001, the Canadian government declared the January 17, the date of his disappearance, on Raoul Wallenberg Day.

“Mr. Wallenberg’s legacy is celebrated around the world and is a powerful reminder of the difference one person can make when they choose to face evil and take action. We also hear the echo of his altruism and his courage in his famous sentence: “I have no other choice”.

“The whole of Canada has been profoundly transformed by the many contributions of the approximately 40,000 Holocaust survivors who were resettled here after the war. Today and every day, Canadians commemorate the Holocaust, honor the victims and remember the survivors.

“Today, in the face of the worrying rise in antisemitism in the country and around the world, we must uphold our collective commitment to speak out against all forms of hatred and discrimination. Each of us, Jewish or not, has an ongoing responsibility to speak out against anti-Semitism wherever it occurs. All Canadians must continually ensure that fundamental respect and inclusion are at the core of our strong communities.

“On Raoul Wallenberg Day, I invite Canadians to reflect on the remarkable story of Mr. Wallenberg and be inspired by his heroism, humanism and commitment to justice. The Government of Canada will always speak out against antisemitism as we build a more equal, safer and just world for all. »