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(Queen’s Park) Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees today made
the following statement on the occasion of the German Day of
Unity:
"As a proud German-Canadian, I would like to pay tribute to the
Day of German Unity or the "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" that
commemorates the reunion of East and West Germany on October 3rd,
1990.
"German reunification became a reality after the fall of the
Berlin Wall, the very symbol of the Iron Curtain, in November,
1989. On August 23rd, 1990 the new parliament of East
Germany voted to approve accession with West Germany and on
October 3rd, 1990, the two countries officially
became the unified Federal Republic of Germany. That evening the
Unity Flag was raised over the Platz der Republik. The six by
ten meter flag is the largest official flag in Germany and has
flown day and night since it was first raised. The colours of
that flag are derived from that of the thousand year old Holy
Roman Empire and so reflect a pan-European heritage.
"Canadians of German origin have been an integral part of the
establishment and ongoing development of the province of Ontario
since the 18th century. More than 70% of the
population of our province at that time were comprised of
citizens of German background. This is especially reflected in
the fact that on July 24, 1788, King George III, by royal
proclamation, named the early districts of Ontario after
Lunenberg, Mecklenburg, Nassau and Hesse. Canadians of German
origin are truly among the first founders of Ontario.
"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our
entire German-Canadian community on Germany’s National Day of
Unity."
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