We Were Freedom: Canadian Stories of the Second World War

The Historica-Dominion Institute is a national charitable organization that was launched in September 2009 through the amalgamation of two existing organizations: The Historica Foundation of Canada and The Dominion Institute. The Historica Foundation of Canada was launched in October 1999 with a mission to help all Canadians come to know the fascinating stories that make our country unique. The Dominion Institute was formed in 1997 by a group of young professionals, concerned about the erosion of a common memory and civic identity in Canada.

Since 2001, The Memory Project has worked to connect veterans and students online and in classrooms across the country. The Memory Project Speakers’ Bureau includes 1,500 veteran volunteers from across Canada visiting classrooms and community groups to share their stories with youth. The veterans in The Memory Project represent a wide range of conflicts, including World War I, World War II, Korean War, Peacekeeping Operations and Canadian Forces experiences. The Memory Project Digital Archive, an online database that houses the oral histories and artifacts of more than 1000 Canadian veterans, complements the Speakers’ Bureau. To date, these veterans have reached more than 300,000 young people.