We’re here, of course, to commemorate and remember 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, a moment when we collectively learned the depths and the depravity of the pure evil of the Nazi regime, a regime which sought to destroy the values of freedom, equality, justice, and truth.

A regime that plunged the world into the most devastating conflict in history.

A regime that murdered 6 million Jews, along with 5 million Poles, Roma, and Sinti, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and political dissidents. A systematic, calculated genocide on an unimaginable scale. But more than just commemorating the actions of brave leaders and soldiers 80 years ago, we’re here because we have a responsibility, a responsibility not just to remember, but to stay true and act like we remember those deep moments of horror that humans and humanity are capable of.

We have a responsibility to listen to the survivors, to hear their stories and heed their warnings. We have a responsibility to remind ourselves that the barbaric crimes of the Nazi regime did not start in the gas chambers of Auschwitz. It took careful, deliberate, years-long processes of dismantling democracy, co-opting institutions, and dehumanizing others to establish the conditions for genocide. We have a responsibility to hold up the two-word pledge that we as an international community committed to after witnessing the horrors of the Holocaust. “Never again.” We cannot fail in that pledge. Antisemitism is on the rise, particularly since Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Holocaust denialism is on the rise. Violent extremism is on the rise. Hatred not just against Jews, but against all different races and backgrounds is on the rise in all of our democracies. And we have not yet responded forcefully enough, strongly enough.

It’s more important than ever to learn lessons from the Holocaust.

This year, I had the privilege of being accompanied by Howard and Miriam, two Canadian Auschwitz survivors. But we’re now 80 years removed from the Holocaust, and generations to come will not be so fortunate as to be able to hear directly from survivors. That’s why we’ve announced $3.4 million for the UNESCO International Program on Holocaust and Genocide Education and six Holocaust education programs in Canada, including one at the Toronto and Montreal Holocaust museums aimed at combatting online disinformation about the Holocaust.

That’s why, in the coming weeks, we will bring together experts from across Canada for a National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism.

And it’s why we’re working to strengthen the bonds with allies like Poland, who’ve committed themselves to fight against antisemitism, against the erosion of democracy, and against any and all who are undermining our shared values. There’s much more work to be done, and we will do it. In the meantime, the work we’re doing together on so many issues is moving forward very well. Over the past few years, Polish-Canadian relations have flourished. We’ve seen a 72% increase in bilateral trade since our government finalized CETA -- Canada’s free trade agreement with the EU. A free trade agreement that wouldn’t have been possible without Prime Minister Tusk’s champion of it as European Council president.

We’ve also, beyond trade, worked together closely to fight back against Russian aggression, enacting strict sanctions to show Putin that his brazen violation of international law cannot and will not be tolerated. Freezing and using Russian assets to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine. Training Ukrainian forces, including here in Poland, and supporting Ukraine with all the military, financial and humanitarian assistance they need to uphold their sovereignty, protect their cities and citizens, and win the war.

And today, we’re further deepening our partnership with the signing of a nuclear cooperation agreement. This agreement is a win-win. It’ll support good middle-class jobs in Canada, and it’ll mean better access to nuclear energy for Poland, ensuring that you never again have to turn to Russian oil and gas, all while growing your economy with a clean source of power that will help you shift away from coal.

For decades, Canada has been a leader in the safe development of nuclear technology. We developed the renowned CANDU reactors that, today, heat homes around the world. This is also the case not far from here, in Romania, with whom we recently signed a contract to refurbish a reactor that was put into service nearly 30 years ago. And we are proudly exporting our expertise to allies like Poland.

We know that the requirements, as Donald said, of AI, of data centres, of our technological innovations in our economies over the coming decades is going to require more power, more energy. Canada is there to be a secure, reliable partner to Poland and to all our other friends. It’s a source of uranium. It’s a source of nuclear technology. As partnerships on the science and research to make sure that we can power the future in ways that support future generations, not put them at risk. But there can be no doubt we’re living through an incredibly challenging and, quite frankly, scary time across the globe.

But now is not the time to give up. It’s not the time to isolate ourselves, hoping that the storm will pass. More than ever, it’s time to stand strong. It’s time to fight.

It is incumbent upon every single democratic leader to step up, to work together and stand strongly for the values we all hold dear. And it is incumbent upon all of us to learn lessons from the Holocaust, to pledge “never again.” Defend freedom, democracy, human rights, and values everywhere around the world.