Poland in Canada

On November 11^th our Canadian friends honour their wartime compatriots who served and payed the ultimate price for freedom in the world. For Poles this date has significance as well. More than commemorating Armistice Day and the end of World War I, it also marks Poland’s regaining of independence after 123 years of statelessness. On that day in 1918 the dream of generations of Poles was fulfilled: Poland was reborn on the map of Europe. The heroism and dedication of its soldiers, combined with a joint effort of the entire nation, made this possible. Yet it would not have occurred though without the aid and support of our allies. Canada was among them.

In 1917 at Niagara-on-the-Lake Canadian authorities established a military facility called ‘Camp Kosciuszko’, designed to train a Polish army-in-exile consisting of volunteers keen to fight for a free Poland during World War I. Over 22,000 Polish recruits, including 200 from Canada, trained at this site. They subsequently joined General Haller’s Blue Army alongside their Polish expatriates in France. This military contingent played an important role in securing Polish independence and shaping the borders of a newborn state. The contribution of our Canadian friends is much appreciated and shall remain so in the collective memory of all Poles.

In World War II a Polish-Canadian brotherhood in arms was further strengthened on several battlefields. I mention only a few. Commander of the Polish RAF Squadron no. 303, which saw action in the Battle of Britain, was Canadian Group Capitan John Kent, whom Poles affectionately called ‘Johnny Kentowski’. The Polish destroyer ORP Ślązak, deployed at Dieppe, saved 95 Canadian soldiers of the Royal Regiment of Canada as they lay trapped on the beach after disembarking. In addition, the Polish 1st Armored Division, attached to the 1st Canadian Army, participated in the Battle of Normandy. Soldiers of both countries collectively helped liberate the Netherlands and Belgium. Polish troops shed their blood at the Battle of Monte Cassino. And Poles fondly remember the 26 pilots of the RCAF who perished over Poland while flying support missions, inter alia during the Warsaw Uprising.

Ceremonies to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II were recently hosted by Poland on September 1^st. Polish President Andrzej Duda, accompanied by the Governor General of Canada Julie Payette and 40 other heads of state and government, paid tribute to the victims and heroes of this terrible conflict. The number of such prominent leaders in attendance was particularly significant given recent attempts to obscure the reasons for the outbreak of war.

Polish-Canadian partnership was not only forged on battlefields, but through political channels and important diplomatic initiatives. Canada’s support for Poland’s accession to NATO is a prime example. Poles do not forget that Canada was the first country to accept Poland as a full member of the Alliance. This year, as we celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, we also recall 20 years of Poland’s membership in NATO. International security remains the cornerstone of our bilateral relations.

We value Canada’s active political and military engagement in support of European security: as a framework nation in NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, and earlier, through deployment of Canadian troops in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, as part of the Operation Reassurance initiative. In Latvia current cooperation between our units, aimed at strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, is also exemplary and has yielded significant results in terms of the collective implementation of our forces. Moreover, Polish and Canadian soldiers work to strengthen NATO’s southern flank in Romania while simultaneously conducting joint NATO training and advisory missions in Iraq and Ukraine. Cooperation between the Polish and Canadian Armed Forces is remarkable and continues to develop through joint training activities involving our respective land forces. Each winter, Polish troops train alongside Canadian soldiers in Arctic conditions; every year Canadian troops participate in NATO exercises organized on Polish territory.

We anticipate a continuation and enhancement of our close cooperation on matters of security. I believe that by building on the successful efforts of past years we will maintain and strengthen our relations in all areas – political, military and economic – as they concern global security, trade, and interpersonal contacts.

Poland and Canada have always stood – and shall remain standing – shoulder to shoulder with our allies and friends in defense of universal values and human rights.

Andrzej Kurnicki - Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Canada

This op-ed was published on Nov. 11th, 2019 on the Hill Times website.