Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement to mark the United Nations' annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust:

"As we commemorate the solemn anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, we remember the countless people, including six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered by the Nazis.

"The Holocaust was not just a crime against a specific group of people, it was also a crime against all of humanity; a betrayal of the most fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

"While we cannot begin to understand the suffering endured by those who lived and those who died in the dark days of the Holocaust, it is our duty to keep their memory alive.

"As we remember and mourn those who lost their lives more than six decades ago, we must also remember the lessons learned from the Holocaust, and we must honour the legacy of those who survived."