BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC CEREMONIES INSPIRE PLAN TO HONOUR MERCHANT NAVY AND ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY VETERANS FROM SYDNEY, CAPE BRETON, IN OTTAWA, MAY 6, 2026

Stéphane Ouellette • May 6, 2026

The Royal Canadian Navy in Hiring | Join the Royal Canadian Navy

BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC CEREMONIES INSPIRE PLAN TO HONOUR MERCHANT NAVY AND ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY VETERANS FROM SYDNEY, CAPE BRETON, IN OTTAWA

MAY 6, 2026

Ray Mackay, 103, right, a navy veteran and member of the Westside Royal Canadian Legion Branch 126 in Westmount, helps get seated by Cape Breton Naval Veterans Association master-at-arms David Keeping after laying a wreath outside the Westmount legion to mark Sunday's commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic — the longest continuous campaign of the Second World War. Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POST (IN PHOTO: Navy veteran, 103, pays tribute to end of Battle of the Atlantic at Cape Breton ceremony)

“This year’s commemorative work is about bringing the full maritime story together — from the Battle of the Atlantic and Merchant Navy Day to the sinking of the SS Caribou. By honouring Merchant Navy and Royal Canadian Navy veterans from Sydney, Cape Breton, in Ottawa, and by culminating our global maritime and veterans themes with a wreath laying at sea in October, we are connecting remembrance, service, sacrifice, and the continuing importance of maritime shipping and seamanship to Canada and the world.”

– Stéphane Ouellette, President & CEO, MNCTP

MNCTP/Memoria Global and the Cape Breton Naval Veterans Association (CBNVA) are collaborating on a proposed Welcome Home Victory Celebration featuring 103-year-old Royal Canadian Navy veteran Ray MacKay and other Merchant Navy and RCN veterans

OTTAWA/SYDNEY, CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA: Battle of the Atlantic ceremonies held in Ottawa, Halifax, and Sydney, Cape Breton, have inspired a proposed national-capital initiative to bring Merchant Navy and Royal Canadian Navy veterans from Sydney, Cape Breton, to Ottawa for a Welcome Home Victory Celebration on September 12/13, 2026.

In Sydney, Nova Scotia, Ray MacKay, a 103-year-old Royal Canadian Navy veteran, laid a wreath in tribute to those who served and sacrificed during the Battle of the Atlantic. His participation offers a powerful living link to Canada’s wartime maritime service and the generation that helped carry the Allied victory at sea.

The MNCTP/Memoria Global and the Cape Breton Naval Veterans Association are collaborating on the proposed initiative, which would become a flagship project for 2026. The goal is to honour Mr. MacKay and other Merchant Navy and Royal Canadian Navy veterans from Sydney, Cape Breton, in Canada’s national capital, while strengthening public awareness of the Merchant Navy’s vital role in war, peace, trade, security, and the global economy.

The value of this initiative is threefold: it gives living veterans a befitting national tribute; it connects Sydney, Cape Breton, Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and other communities of remembrance; and it builds momentum toward international recognition of the Merchant Navy’s continuing importance to modern maritime shipping and seamanship.

The Ottawa ceremony will follow the Merchant Navy Veterans' Day on September 3, 2026, that will be commemorated in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Canada officially recognizes September 3 as Merchant Navy Veterans Day. Merchant Navy Day is also officially recognized in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia, creating a strong foundation for broader international recognition.

This year’s global maritime and veterans themes will culminate in October 2026 with the commemoration of the sinking of the SS Caribou in Cape Breton, including a wreath laying at sea. This closing commemoration will connect the Battle of the Atlantic, Merchant Navy service, Royal Canadian Navy service, civilian sacrifice, coastal communities, and the enduring maritime legacy of Atlantic Canada.

As part of its long-term mission, MNCTP/Memoria Global intends to lead a global initiative seeking a United Nations resolution declaring September 3 as International Merchant Navy Day. The purpose is to unite past, present, and future Merchant Navy remembrance while promoting modern maritime shipping and seamanship as essential to global security, defence, trade, supply chains, food security, energy security, and the world economy.

2026 Maritime Remembrance Calendar

NAVY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA (NAC)

BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC RECEPTION

RIDEAU CLUB (OTTAWA)

APRIL 28, 2026

NAC LINKEDIN

(From left: Stéphane Ouellette, President & CEO, MNCTP, and Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, CMM, MSM, CD, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), at the Battle of the Atlantic Reception, Rideau Club, Ottawa.

BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC CEREMONY HELD AT HMCS CARLETON, OTTAWA,

MAY 3, 2026

THE END OF THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

COMMEMORATED IN HALIFAX

MAY 3, 2026

(CTV ATLANTIC )

A ceremony was held at Point Pleasant Park in Halifax on Sunday, May 3, 2026 to mark the 81st anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic. (Paul DeWitt/CTV Atlantic)

ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY REMEMBERS HEROISM IN BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

MAY 4, 2025

NEW MEMORIAL HONOURS BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC CREWS IN LONDON (ONTARIO)

BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC CEREMONY HELD AT HMCS CARLETON/ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY, NATIONAL NAVAL RESERVE MONUMENT (OTTAWA, ONTARIO)

“As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic, we honour the bravery of the Canadians who served with unwavering resolve and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Battle of the Atlantic left a lasting imprint on Canada’s national story and the identity of the Royal Canadian Navy. On this landmark anniversary, my thoughts are of the sailors of HMCS Esquimalt, the last Canadian ship sunk in the war on April 16, 1945. Forty-four sailors, more than half of the crew, died just three weeks before the end of the war, within sight of their home port of Halifax and never had the chance to celebrate the hard-won peace they helped secure.”

– Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

"On this 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic, we remember the longest and most pivotal campaign of the Second World War — a relentless struggle waged by sailors, soldiers, aircrew, and merchant mariners to keep the lifelines of freedom open across treacherous seas.

"Their courage in the face of danger, their endurance in the harshest conditions, and their sacrifice in defence of liberty helped shape the world we live in today.

From coast to coast, Canadians gather in solemn tribute to honour these heroes whose legacy lives on in every act of service, every commitment to peace, and every free nation that stands because of their resolve.”
– Stéphane Ouellette, President & CEO, MNCTP

OTTAWA, MAY 4, 2025: Mr. Stéphane Ouellette, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP), joined veterans, military leaders, families, and dignitaries at the National Naval Reserve Monument in Ottawa to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic — the longest and most strategically critical campaign of the Second World War.

Held annually on the first Sunday in May, Battle of the Atlantic Sunday honours the thousands of sailors, aircrew, and merchant mariners who braved unforgiving seas and constant enemy threats to maintain the vital lifeline between North America and Europe. This year’s anniversary carried profound national significance, as Canadians gathered from coast to coast to commemorate eight decades since the turning of the tide in the North Atlantic.

A key highlight of this year’s commemorations was the unveiling of the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial at HMCS Prevost in London, Ontario. Situated at the historic Forks of the Thames, this new monument stands as a solemn and enduring tribute to the Canadian sailors, aircrew, and merchant mariners who lost their lives during the campaign. The memorial reinforces Canada’s commitment to remembrance, ensuring that future generations recognize the pivotal role these individuals played in securing the freedoms we enjoy today.

The Battle of the Atlantic, which spanned from 1939 to 1945, claimed the lives of over 4,600 members of the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Canadian Merchant Navy. Their courage under fire and unyielding commitment enabled the safe delivery of troops, supplies, fuel, and equipment to Allied forces — a decisive contribution to victory in Europe.

Mr. Ouellette acknowledged the essential and often overlooked contributions of the Canadian and Allied Merchant Navy, whose civilian mariners faced some of the war’s deadliest conditions with little recognition and few rights. These unsung heroes made an immeasurable impact on Canada's war effort and national identity.

The MNCTP remains dedicated to preserving this legacy through commemorative programming, intergenerational education, and national advocacy. By highlighting the interconnected role of military and civilian maritime service in Canada’s history, the Project continues to ensure that the sacrifices of those who served at sea are never forgotten.

This year’s national observance served not only as a tribute to the fallen, but as a reminder to all Canadians of the enduring price of peace, the strength found in shared sacrifice, and our collective duty to remember.

MEDIA GALLERY

HMCS Carleton | Royal Canadian Navy | National Naval Reserve Monument

ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY (RCN) SUPPORTING THE ALLIED

MERCHANT NAVY/AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE

ON VARIOUS MERCHANT NAVY VETERANS' DAYS

(From Left): Lieutenant-Commander Don Mitchell, RCN; Claude Aubin, Senator, Métis Nation Québec and Honorary Governor of the MNCTP); Major (ret'd) Wayne Mac Culloch, President, Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping; Stéphane Ouellette, President and CEO, MNCTP; Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee Commander, RCN; and, Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Tim Tyson, RCN. Also in attendance was Commander Derek Merlo, RCN, at the Merchant Navy Veterans Day Ceremony (Royal Canadian Navy (RCN Centennial Monument, Richmond Island, Ottawa), September 4, 2023 .