The Memorial That Almost Wasn’t: The Remarkable Story Behind Canada's Anti-Communist Memorial

"I have always been in awe of the American families who come to visit the Vietnam [Veterans] Memorial in Washington, DC. That Memorial created a pilgrimage of multiple generations.

The Vietnam War ended many years ago, and yet, the American families come to visit the fallen, from the first one to the last one. And they come up to the memorial, and they scribble the name, and they frame that piece of paper. They take it back to Austin, Texas, to Timbuktu, wherever they go.

The idea was that we need to erect a place that would spark the same pilgrimage.

…If you have a small Chinese immigrant family that lives in Chilliwack, British Columbia, and the school trip brings them here, they can find their own family. They can replicate the same experience.

That child can come back to the community and say, look, this is the name of my grandfather. He came here and he gave us prosperity and safety and a really good life in Canada because he didn't want to be oppressed in mainland China."

Ludwik Klimkowski explains the incredible inspiration behind Canada's new national memorial to the millions of victims of communism.