News from the North

Hello and welcome to May, and the latest edition of News From The North. It’s spring and it is wonderful to see the flowers beginning to bloom. In some ways it feels like a long time has passed since COVID-19 brought significant changes in our daily lives, and in other ways time continues to fly by. As we all face the realities of the pandemic and collective sacrifice, in this edition we pay tribute to those who gave their lives in service to their country: from soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the liberation of Europe 75 years ago, to the tragic loss of six Canadian Armed Forces members last week in a helicopter accident near Greece.

Separately, we look back at the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day, and Canada’s participation at the annual EarthX Conference, an all-digital affair this year. Read on for more.

Commemorating Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice – Now and Then

On Tuesday, May 5, we marked the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands during World War II. The courage and sacrifice shown by the Canadian forces in this effort is renowned, and has never been forgotten by the Dutch. On January 27, in honour of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C. welcomed Louise Lawrence-Israëls, a survivor of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Louise shared her story of sacrifice and her memories of Canadian soldiers. It was a night we will not soon forget.

As was true then is still true today: members of the Canadian Armed Forces put their lives on the line for our protection. On April 29, a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crashed in the Ionian Sea near Greece, while taking part in NATO exercises. Six Canadian service members lost their lives.

Master Corporal Matthew Cousins
Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough
Captain Kevin Hagen
Captain Brenden Ian MacDonald
Captain Maxime Miron-Morin
Sub-Lieutenant Matthew Pyke

We will remember them and their dedication. We will remember their sacrifice. We will always carry them with us.

EarthX 2020 – Canada goes virtual for annual environmental event

April 22 marked the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day and kicked off the annual EarthX Conference in Dallas, a massive three-day public expo that typically features a week-long series of events, film screenings and panels. However, like so many other large-scale public events scheduled for spring, everything was moved online due to COVID-19. Times of great challenge also bring opportunities for innovation. EarthX leveraged this virtual transition to expand its reach to year-round and worldwide engagements. The Consulate General in Dallas used the move to virtual as an opportunity to underscore Canada’s leadership and commitment to environmental stewardship. Consul General Dr. Rachel McCormick appeared on a special EarthX Livestream on the 22^nd to highlight a plan to transition to a clean-growth, net-zero economy by 2050, and two days later, as part of the Renewables Conference portion of the event,  she gave a virtual presentation on Canadian innovation in Clean Energy and Carbon Capture.

Overall, 550,000 people in over 60 countries tuned in to the virtual 2020 EarthX. You can find out more about Canada’s overall participation here, which featured a number of high-profile Canadians, such as Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante.