Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre. This incident marks a dark and solemn period in the history of China.
The massacre began December 13, 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Over a period of six weeks, 200,000 to 300,000 people, including both injured soldiers and civilians, were murdered in Nanjing, the then capital city of China. Nanjing was left in ruins and it took decades for the city to recover from these violent attacks.
I had the opportunity to visit the city of Nanjing with the Premier just a few weeks ago. I was moved by the Nanjing Massacre Memorial that was built to commemorate those who lost their lives. This Memorial pays tribute to the resilience of the Chinese people and humanity, and reminds us life is beautiful and invaluable.
Mr. Speaker, many community events will be taking place across Ontario commemorating the Nanjing Massacre this coming weekend. I encourage members of this House to attend these events and learn more about the Nanjing massacre.
Lastly, to all members of this house and Ontarians across, merry Christmas and happy New Year, we are truly blessed to be in this province.