OTTAWA, TODAY – Mr. Stéphane Ouellette, President and Chief Executive Officer, Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP), was accompanied by Mme Marie France Lalonde, MP for Orléans, representing the Government of Canada; Senator Rebecca Patterson, representing the Senate of Canada; the Canadian Armed Forces; as well as veterans’ organizations, the diplomatic corps, and members of the public in observing Merchant Navy Veterans Day at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

On September 3, 2024, Merchant Navy Veterans Day was jointly commemorated across Canada at the following locations:

• (Halifax) The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), placed a wreath at the National Canadian Merchant Navy Monument (Halifax Waterfront).
• (Ottawa) Stéphane Ouellette joined VAC in placing a wreath at the National War Memorial.
• (Winnipeg) Mr. David Pankratz, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, and Manitoba’s Special Envoy for Military Affairs, Mr. Shaun Dobson, Councillor and Military Liaison for the City of Winnipeg, and Mr. Dwight MacAulay, CVO, Honorary Consul for the United Kingdom placed wreaths at the Cenotaph (Memorial Boulevard).
• (Vancouver) VAC placed a wreath at the North Vancouver Sailors Memorial.

On September 3, 1939, on the day that the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany, the passenger ship S.S. Athenia was torpedoed by U–30, while on patrol in the northwestern sector of Ireland. The ship was carrying 1,103 passengers, including approximately 500 Jewish refugees, 469 Canadians, 311 Americans, 72 British, along with 315 of her crew. However, 98 passengers and 19 of her crew were killed. Fifty–four were Canadian, 28 were American, including Canadian Stewardess Hannah Baird. Incidentally, the first casualties of the Second World War were Canadian and American civilians.

During the Second World War, Canadian Merchant Navy vessels made a total of 25,343 voyages from North America to Britain, with over 164,783,921 tons on board. The Royal Canadian Navy gave to the struggle over 2,000 dead and 24 warships. More than 900 RCAF and Canadian Army personnel were also lost. Over 2,199 Canadian Merchant Navy Seaman were killed in both World Wars. Moreover, more than 250,000 American Merchant Marine sailed the treacherous oceans of the world. Over 6,835 American Merchant Marine were killed and over 11,000 wounded. In addition, 604 Merchant Mariners were taken prisoners of war, resulting in 61 casualties within POW camps.