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| Canada buys land in France's Juno Beach due to condo plan | Canada buys land in France's Juno Beach due to condo plan |
| (3 days later) | |
| The Juno Beach Centre was erected 20 years ago in France to commemorate Canadian WWII soldiers. | The Juno Beach Centre was erected 20 years ago in France to commemorate Canadian WWII soldiers. |
| Canada will help buy a plot of land in France that was once stormed by allied troops on D-Day during World War Two. | Canada will help buy a plot of land in France that was once stormed by allied troops on D-Day during World War Two. |
| The purchase ends a three-year battle with a French developer that planned to construct two condominium buildings in the area. | The purchase ends a three-year battle with a French developer that planned to construct two condominium buildings in the area. |
| Canada feared the construction would affect a museum nearby that commemorates Canadian soldiers who died during the war. | Canada feared the construction would affect a museum nearby that commemorates Canadian soldiers who died during the war. |
| Courseulles-Sur-Mer, the local town, will buy the land back with Canada. | Courseulles-Sur-Mer, the local town, will buy the land back with Canada. |
| Canada will contribute nearly C$4m ($2.9m; £2.6m) to the purchase, said federal veteran affairs minister Lawrence MacAulay in an announcement in Ottawa on Friday. | Canada will contribute nearly C$4m ($2.9m; £2.6m) to the purchase, said federal veteran affairs minister Lawrence MacAulay in an announcement in Ottawa on Friday. |
| France's Juno Beach is home to the privately-owned Juno Beach Centre, a 20-year-old Canadian museum that pays tribute to 45,000 soldiers from Canada who lost their lives during WW2. | France's Juno Beach is home to the privately-owned Juno Beach Centre, a 20-year-old Canadian museum that pays tribute to 45,000 soldiers from Canada who lost their lives during WW2. |
| The land is historically significant, as it is where allied troops first arrived ashore in France on 6 June 1944, known as D-Day. | The land is historically significant, as it is where allied troops first arrived ashore in France on 6 June 1944, known as D-Day. |
| It is also where the Battle of Normandy took place, an important milestone in the liberation of western Europe from Nazi Germany. | It is also where the Battle of Normandy took place, an important milestone in the liberation of western Europe from Nazi Germany. |
| Around 5,500 Canadian soldiers were killed in the Battle of Normandy and 381 died on D-Day. | Around 5,500 Canadian soldiers were killed in the Battle of Normandy and 381 died on D-Day. |
| What were the D-Day landings? | What were the D-Day landings? |
| The Juno Beach Centre was opened by Canadian D-Day veterans in France to commemorate Canada's contributions to the war. | The Juno Beach Centre was opened by Canadian D-Day veterans in France to commemorate Canada's contributions to the war. |
| Mr MacAulay said Ottawa was fiercely against the project - the sixty-unit Domaine des Dunes - proposed by French developer Foncim. | |
| "The development would be going on ground where so much Canadian blood was spilled," he said. | "The development would be going on ground where so much Canadian blood was spilled," he said. |
| Canada stepped in following a two-year legal battle between the museum and Foncim over the use of a road operated by the centre, which Foncim wanted to use during construction. | Canada stepped in following a two-year legal battle between the museum and Foncim over the use of a road operated by the centre, which Foncim wanted to use during construction. |
| This year, thousands of Canadians also took part in a letter writing campaign calling on French and Canadian officials to halt the plan. | This year, thousands of Canadians also took part in a letter writing campaign calling on French and Canadian officials to halt the plan. |
| With the help of the Courseulles-Sur-Mer council, Ottawa reached an agreement to buy the land, putting an end to the project that was set to begin construction this fall. | With the help of the Courseulles-Sur-Mer council, Ottawa reached an agreement to buy the land, putting an end to the project that was set to begin construction this fall. |
| The BBC has reached out to Foncim for comment. | The BBC has reached out to Foncim for comment. |
| Ernest Beno, director of the Juno Beach Centre Association and a retired brigadier general, said his organisation is grateful for the help of Canadian and French officials in putting an end to the dispute. | Ernest Beno, director of the Juno Beach Centre Association and a retired brigadier general, said his organisation is grateful for the help of Canadian and French officials in putting an end to the dispute. |
| "This project threatened the commemorative and the educational efforts of our site," he said. | "This project threatened the commemorative and the educational efforts of our site," he said. |
| The centre also thanked "all of the French individuals who did the best they could with their limited power but tremendous determination". | The centre also thanked "all of the French individuals who did the best they could with their limited power but tremendous determination". |
| Mr MacAulay said Canada is now in the process of negotiating a 99-year lease that would protect the site from future development. | Mr MacAulay said Canada is now in the process of negotiating a 99-year lease that would protect the site from future development. |
| "Progress is inevitable, but some parcels of land should never be touched, never," he said. | "Progress is inevitable, but some parcels of land should never be touched, never," he said. |