Spanish Civil War

This monument near the Legislative Assembly Building commemorates Canadians who fought against Fascism in the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. You can read the details on the plaque in the photo below. The phrase slightly cut off at the bottom reads "No pasarán." It's taken from an inspiring speech given during the siege of Madrid in 1936 and means, "They shall not pass!" The siege was broken in 1939 and followed by 35 years of Franco's dictatorship. About 600 Canadians died before the civil war was ended. Many of the 1,000 who returned to Canada then joined the Canadian army to continue to battle Fascism during WW2.