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Michael Chong, M.P.

Wellington-Halton Hills

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Government of Canada Announces Major Gift to Memory Project on Behalf of Queen

May 19th, 2005

The Queen's 2005 visit to Canada marked with the announcement of a major gift to the Memory Project to help WWII veterans share their stories with youth

OTTAWA - To commemorate the Queen's visit to Canada, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced this morning a major gift on behalf of the people of Canada to the Memory Project to help WWII veterans share their stories with young people. The contribution of $250,000 from the Government of Canada will be used by the Memory Project, an initiative of the Dominion Institute, to record the oral histories and personal memorabilia of hundreds of WWII veterans. The completed oral history archive will be made available to Canadians over the Internet, at www.thememoryproject.com, and through kiosks at the Canadian War museum in early 2006.

"This generous contribution will allow us to capture for future generations the personal stories of service and sacrifice of Second World War veterans nation-wide" said Michael Chong, M.P. for Wellington-Halton Hills, and one of the founders of the Dominion Institute. "Our veterans are incredibly proud to be recognised by the government in this way. They have a very special connection to this Queen who like them served 'King and Country' in uniform in the Second World War."

The Memory Project is a national bi-lingual education programme, which brings together veterans and youth to talk about Canada’s participation in Word War Two, Korean War and Peacekeeping missions. Of the 1,500 veterans who volunteered with the programme those who are unable to visit schools due to declining health have their stories recorded for posterity and made available on the Internet. Since the Memory Project's inception in 2002, over 300,000 young people have had the opportunity to talk first hand with a veteran, and, to date, more than 500 of the Memory Project's veteran volunteers have had their oral histories recorded for posterity.

Her Majesty the Queen praised the Institute and said: "The Memory Project" has most successfully brought together veterans and young Canadians throughout the country. In the process it has safeguarded not only many remarkable stories of the veterans, but also a unique chapter of this country's history. It is a most imaginative gift; it links the admiration I have for those who fought for freedom all those years ago with the confidence and pride I feel when I look into the faces of young Canadians today."

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