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Prime Minister joins Jewish-Canadians in lighting menorah to celebrate Chanukah
11 December 2007
Ottawa, Ontario
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. Greetings to our Parliamentary colleagues and to our friends from the Jewish community. Thank you, Rabbi Kaplan for your kind introduction and thank you all for inviting me once again to participate in this ancient Jewish tradition celebrating the Maccabees’ epic victory for religious freedom some 2,200 years ago.
On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am honoured to light the Menorah to mark the celebration of Chanukah. Last year, there were a record 11,000 public menorah lightings in cities around the world, including our event here in Ottawa. To me, this is an encouraging sign that the light of the menorah is growing stronger.
Down through the centuries, in various places at various times, Jews have suffered terrible persecution. The hate that fuelled this persecution still stalks our world today. We must confront and resist it wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head. But the fact that Jews can now conduct this ceremony in so many countries, in public, in the supportive company of their non-Jewish fellow citizens, is reason for hope that the light of the menorah may one day banish anti-Semitic bigotry into the darkness, forever.
I am proud that the light shines so brightly in Canada. Our peaceful, prosperous and pluralistic society welcomes people of all faiths, and we will always be a resolute defender of Jewish religious freedom in a hostile world. Canadian Jews have made tremendous contributions to our country in every field of human endeavour.
We also value and appreciate the contributions of Chabad-Lubavitch. For 250 years, Chabad has been helping to bring light to the world through their outreach efforts and good works. It is my distinct pleasure to participate in this noble tradition. All Canadians should endeavour, each in our own way, to add a little more light, and freedom, to the world.
Thank you.
Chag Chanukah Sameach
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