To get back to the amendment, Mr. Chair, I've done some research, because I took to heart what Mr. Angus said about maybe getting down into the bill a bit further. As you can tell, I've done a little bit of research on this and I'm going to go through some of this over the next little while, and hopefully that can lead to some friendly discussions and we'll see how it goes from there.
Initially, on some of the background I was looking at, we had heard a lot about the agreement that was signed in principle by the previous government. I did find in an article of October 14, Angelo Persichilli said, “Prime Minister Martin confirmed that $2.5 million has been earmarked” in this agreement in principle, and it was signed by Raymond Chan in the presence of Pierre Pettigrew, and signed by the Prime Minister, and the heritage minister was there. The article goes on to say “However, PM Martin—unlike then-PM Brian Mulroney did in 1990—offered no apology from the Federal Government to those who suffered those injustices.”
I note that simultaneously, when the announcement was being made, there was another announcement being made by the immigration minister in Toronto, Minister Volpe, with respect to that particular agreement. Minister Volpe decided he would focus more on the importance of the Italian community to Canada and all of the successes that they brought to Canada. But there was something I read: “Satisfaction has been expressed by NCIC President Dominic Campione”—you'll remember him as one of the witnesses who we had here in front of us. He said, and I quote:
“This is a historic date for our community, the day when the important task of educating this and the future generations on the evolution of our community in Canada.” The internment of Italians during World War II “is a dark page in Canadian history, and the agreement in principle,” maintained Campione, “gives our community an opportunity to make sure that such events are never forgotten and, most of all, never repeated.”
He described that agreement, which gave them $2.5 million, as historic. I searched and searched and I could not find anywhere where the NCIC and Mr. Campione were suggesting that an apology was actually needed. I really did a lot of searching for that, Mr. Chair. I couldn't find anywhere where they suggested that an apology was required.
I did some additional research, and I'll share it with you because I know you're interested, Mr. Chair. “In November 2005, Italian Canadian representatives signed an agreement-in-principle with the federal government...” Again $2.5 million. Who signed? “A representative of the National Congress of Italian Canadians”, and it goes on to tell the others. Again, to quote, “'This is an historic day for our community,' said Dominic Campione” of the $2.5 million that they received.
I was able to find, going back, some of the press releases at the time.