National Victims of Communism Memorial | Completed

[adam-machiavelli]

Lol whenever Nazis claim to be "victims of communism", they reveal their true colours. Pathetic. Remove this waste of public funds.

[J.OT13]

This has been a disaster from the start. Harper's oversized monument in front of the Supreme Court, the public contribution going up five fold and now this, not to mention the ties Nazis.

This could have been a small monument in Strathcona Park facing the Russian Embassy, it didn't need to be this.

[rocketphish]

Government retreats on Victims of Communism memorial names in aftermath of Nazi controversy
As the controversial monument approaches its first anniversary, the Department of Canadian Heritage has reversed course on the names originally meant to be inscribed on it.

By David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Published Dec 11, 2025 | Last updated 5 hours ago

The controversial Victims of Communism memorial in downtown Ottawa will no longer feature the names of specific individuals after federal officials determined a significant number could be linked to the Nazis.

The memorial, located near the corner of Wellington and Bay streets, was intended to honour those who suffered under communism.

But concerns have been raised over the years by Jewish organizations and historians that names of eastern Europeans who collaborated with the Nazis in the Holocaust have been put forward in an attempt to whitewash their past.

The Ottawa Citizen reported in 2024 that the Department of Canadian Heritage was told by historians that more than half of the 550 names to be inscribed on the Memorial to the Victims of Communism should be removed. The reason was because of potential links to the Nazis or questions about affiliations with fascist groups.

As originally planned, there were to be 553 entries on the memorial’s Wall of Remembrance.

Canadian Heritage has now reversed course on inscribing specific names. “The Government of Canada has emphasized that all aspects of the Memorial to the Victims of Communism must align with Canadian values of democracy and human rights,” department spokesperson Caroline Czajkowski said in an email. “The Wall of Remembrance will now solely feature thematic content that conveys the broader commemorative and educational intent of the Memorial.”

Czajkowski noted “there is currently no set timeline for the completion of the thematic content.”

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service/defence-watch/victims-of-communism-memorial-names-nazis

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

This could have been a small monument in Strathcona Park facing the Russian Embassy, it didn't need to be this.

That could describe about 90% of the monuments in Ottawa. Governments of both parties like comically oversized monuments.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by acottawa

That could describe about 90% of the monuments in Ottawa. Governments of both parties like comically oversized monuments.

Imagine if we ended up with the monstrosity proposed by Harper by the Supreme Court.

But yeah, we've been building oversized monuments over the last decade or so. There should be criteria that dictates monument size. The War Memorial is one of the very few that justifies the size and prominence.

[rocketphish]

Vietnamese refugees will be left off Victims of Communism memorial: documents
The memorial has faced criticism for cost overruns, delays and concerns that it could whitewash the history of alleged Nazi collaborators.

By David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 10, 2026 | Last updated 5 hours ago | 5 minute read

The federal government proposed highlighting a 1920 battle in Poland on the Victims of Communism memorial in Ottawa, but not the arrival of nearly 200,000 refugees from Vietnam and southeast Asia to Canada.

The decision to ignore such a major historical event affecting Canada highlights yet another of the ongoing controversies surrounding the Memorial to the Victims of Communism. The memorial, an official national monument located near the corner of Wellington and Bay streets, is intended to honour those who suffered under communism and who found refuge in Canada.

But the memorial has already faced criticism about cost overruns, delays and concerns that the monument would whitewash the history of Nazi collaborators from eastern Europe who took an active part in the Holocaust.

The latest debate over whether to highlight the arrival of refugees fleeing communist governments in southeast Asia has played out in the Department of Canadian Heritage as well as Global Affairs Canada, according to documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen through an access to information request.

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service...mese-refugees-victims-communism-memorial

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B]Vietnamese refugees will be left off Victims of Communism memorial: documents
The memorial has faced criticism for cost overruns, delays and concerns that it could whitewash the history of alleged Nazi collaborators.

https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service...mese-refugees-victims-communism-memorial

A monument is generally supposed to be allegorical; why is it getting into the weeds with its content?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

A monument is generally supposed to be allegorical; why is it getting into the weeds with its content?

I think it's part of the general dumbing down. The text shown in the Citizen photo is all that need appear on the monument.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I think it's part of the general dumbing down. The text shown in the Citizen photo is all that need appear on the monument.

https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service...mese-refugees-victims-communism-memorial

Funny how we depend on Communist China for so much of our consumerism and the export of many of our agricultural products and natural resources.

[zzptichka]

"Memorial to the victims of <REDACTED>"

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Imagine if we ended up with the monstrosity proposed by Harper by the Supreme Court.

But yeah, we've been building oversized monuments over the last decade or so. There should be criteria that dictates monument size. The War Memorial is one of the very few that justifies the size and prominence.

Think small - captures the Canadian public mood these days.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

A monument is generally supposed to be allegorical; why is it getting into the weeds with its content?

Because people don't know about what killed more people in the last century than anything else. They think Vietnamese refugees were some kind of CIA informants working for the wrong side in the war. Etc. Etc.