Manitobans humbled, proud, honoured to be part of D-Day 80th anniversary celebrations in France

Students from Cross Lake First Nation, Mtis musicians and Premier Wab Kinew are part of a strong Manitoba contingent at ceremonies in France to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday.

"[To be] here with so many Manitobans and Canadians and people from around the world to commemorate, it's just something that inspires humility, and I think reminds us of the need to stand up for democracy and freedom," Kinew said from Juno Beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer, one of five beaches used duringthe Allied invasion of German-occupied Franceon June 6, 1944, during the Second World War.

Some 14,000 Canadians landed at Juno Beach as part of the largest seaborne invasion in history.

More than 4,400Allied troops died that day, the beginning of the bloody 77-day Battle of Normandy and the start of the liberation of France.

"My job only exists because of the sacrifice that they made. We don't get to cast a ballot in Canada or Manitoba, we don't have elected officials, unless they are successful on D-Day," said Kinew, who wentonto the beach where the landings took place andspoke with the handful of veterans who are still alive and able to participate in the events.

"To come back these many years later and to just say thank you, to shake their hands, to look them in the eyes and to express the appreciation it's just such a powerful reminder of the requirement for us to keep the living memory of that heroism alive."

He and MLADavid Pankratz, Manitoba'smilitary liaison, also became the first peoplerepresenting the provincial government to placea wreath at a place called Chateau D'Audrieua, a monument to24 Canadian soldiers, most of them members of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, killed as prisoners of war.

"To look at the list of names and to recognize family names of friends and people that I think any Manitoban would be able to place to their social network, it really just hits home at how widespread these events were," Kinew said.

"And so absolutelyit's important as the leader of the province to acknowledge what took place at this massacre."

Among those with whom Kinew spokewas Jim Parks, who lives now in Ontario at age 100, but was part ofthe Rifles contingent that landed on Juno Beach.

"[They] were some of the first off the boats, the first to land, and played a pivotal role in terms of the ultimate success not only the Battle of Normandy and D-Day, but of course the ultimate liberation of Europe and the conquest of democracy over fascism. So we're very proud of the Rifles, we're very proud of Fort Garry Horse," Kinew said.

"We had folks from our province, not only in those regiments, but also in the air force and carrying out many, many important functions. Many women from our province also served the war effort.

"To be here on this day, to have a chance to speak with Jim it was really amazing."

Mitchell Makoons, aMtisguitarist from Brandon, andMorgan Grace, aMtisfiddlerfrom East Selkirk,played for thousands of people attending theCanadian ceremony on Thursday.

They were part of a delegation of 34 people from the Manitoba Mtis Federation, from youth to veterans, who made the trek to Normandy.

"It was so overwhelmingto actually be here and step on the beach where so many Red River Mtis, you could say they were youths, gave up their lives for the war,"said Richard Genaille, MMF minister of youth and sport.

Jaydis Colombe, a Grade 10 studentfromMikisew School in Cross Lake, more than 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg, took part in a sharedreadingof thepoemCommitment to Rememberduring Thursday's ceremonies.

She read in Cree, thrust into the role when another student slated to do itlost her voicethe previous evening.

"My teachers helped me pronounce the words. They helped me learn the words and what they meant," Colombe said.

"I'm very, very thankful I was able to do that. Everyone's proud of me back home. Everyone's proud of me here, and I'm proud of myself.

"This ground is full of bravery and I'm glad that I was brave enough to go stand up there and be brave," she said. "I was able to let them hear our language, you know, through my voice."

Marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day

5 months ago

Duration 2:18

A group of students from Mikisew school from Cross Lake Manitoba are at D-Day ceremonies in France. A number of Indigenous soldiers are buried in the Canadian War Cemetary in France who were from Cross Lake and stormed the beaches 80 years ago.