“On this day, we honour our veterans of the Merchant Navy and remember the crucial role they played in securing victory in Europe. They faced years of relentless attacks from German U-boats trying to cut Allied supply lines. Yet, with an unwavering commitment to the war effort and to ensuring allied forces received necessary supplies, the Merchant Navy made trip after trip with the knowledge that their vessels were key targets for the enemy. We must never forget the many sacrifices they made in the name of freedom, peace, and democracy.”

– The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, September 2020

(PM Merchant Navy Day Greetings’ Letter)

“Our Nation’s merchant mariners embody the highest aspirations of our democracy, always answering our country’s call with commitment and courage. Today, we honor their service and sacrifice. Together, we recommit to meeting our sacred obligation to care for them and their families.

“Unbreaking and unbending in their devotion to duty, our merchant mariners have stood for our Nation’s freedom and liberty throughout history — from delivering critical goods and troops to the battlefields of World War II to responding to devastating natural disasters around the world and shipping the goods and military cargo that keep our Nation safe and prosperous.”

– President Joseph R. Biden Jr., 46th President of the United States of America, A Proclamation on National Maritime Day, May 22, 2024, The White House

“Today, we honour the more than 12,000 Canadians who served in Canada’s Merchant Navy during the Second World War’s Battle of the Atlantic. With courage and bravery they completed 25,000 passages of vital supplies in often treacherous conditions across the Atlantic Ocean. Their efforts were vital to the Allied victory. We remember all those who served and those who did not make it home.”

– The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, September 4, 2023

“Approaching the day of the commemoration of the sacrifices of the Canadian Merchant Navy, in the name of the Holy Father, I wish to assure you and all the present members, of a special remembrance in his prayers for the souls of the men and women who lost their lives serving their countries in the Allied Merchant Navy during the Second World War.

“Commemorating the 70th anniversary of that worldwide conflict, Pope Francis expressed the wish and the hope that the entire human family, learning from the tragedies of the past and faced with the current conflicts around the world "may persevere in the search for the common good and in promotion of a culture of peace" (General Audience - May 6, 2015).”

– His Holiness Pope Francis, The Vatican, September 1, 2015

"As an Island Nation, we in the United Kingdom still depend heavily on the great trade routes of the sea. … During the Second World War, that vital lifeline came very near to being severed. The stark courage of the sailors of the Merchant Navy should never be forgotten, and I write to assure you of my prayers of thankfulness for all that our forebears and elders achieved, despite their great suffering."

– The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, July 21, 2017

“Canadian Merchant Navy sailors faced the same hardships and costs of war as the military personnel who escorted them. Victory could not have come without their courage and resilience in transporting vital supplies and ammunition across the perilous and contested seas. Today we remember the 2199 merchant sailors who gave their lives in answering Canada’s call. Lest we forget.”

– Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy, September 4, 2023