Evidence of meeting #39 for Canadian Heritage in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was date.
A video is available from Parliament.
President, Toronto Section, Canada-Vietnam Friendship Association
Thank you very much, members of the committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Ms. Sitsabaiesan, you have the floor. You're debating the preamble.
NDP
Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Mr. Chair, I want to enter the debate at some point. I can debate on the short title if you want or whatever, it doesn't really matter.
NDP
Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Mr. Chair, I want to make clear that the New Democrats are very disappointed with this process. We're disappointed that the committee wasn't able to hear from more witnesses and consider the bill more thoroughly. The preamble might be a good place for me to talk about this, because there's clearly a lot of division and contention within the community where there's a lot of passion. I think—and I'm certain that my NDP colleagues will support me in this—that it merits more study than this rushed process we've had today, and what we've learned about what happened in the Senate.
We think it's important to recognize the contributions of Canada in addressing the refugee crisis that resulted from the Vietnam War. That's what we heard from so many of our witnesses today, and the many contributions of the Vietnamese Canadians who have made this country their home. We've heard today, and statistics have shown, that more than 300,000 people made Canada their home, and Canada has welcomed them here. It's also a personal thing for me because my people have had to come to Canada and around the world as refugees. Canada has been a country that accepted my people whether they came as refugees or migrants in other forms.
Canada is a beautiful country. It's sad in that the bill was an opportunity for the community to say thank you to Canada, and there's clearly contention and division, and I wish there were more time for us to thoroughly study and hear more from the community, and possibly make meaningful changes for the community.
It's important to note that clearly there are diverse views on the bill within the Vietnamese Canadian community. As I said, we wish we were able to speak more about the bill here at committee. We learned the Senate process showed a lack of consultation also, and there were witnesses who requested to appear and weren't given permission. Only witnesses who supported the bill were able to testify in the Senate.
It's our role as parliamentarians, Mr. Chair, to make sure that equity and democracy prevail, and to consider the diversity of all views on the issues and then take them into account to make sure we're being responsible in decisions we're making.
We, and when I say “we” I'm talking for the NDP, support the efforts to commemorate Canada's acceptance of tens of thousands of Southeast Asian refugees in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. We heard from witnesses today that it was more than 60,000. We do wish though that this legislative process had been more inclusive, and allowed for thorough study and thorough analysis by the committee members.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Thank you very much.
Is there any further debate on the preamble?
Mr. Dion.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
I just want to say that indeed I would have preferred if more time had been allowed to hear the different views, and to try to reconcile a community that should not be divided at a time when we want to commemorate the community. I think it's our duty as parliamentarians to try to do more than what we did. I'm pleased that at least we had one opportunity to do so, but more time would have been preferable.
I want that to be clear, and also to be clear that the support I will give on behalf of my party is about the contribution of the Vietnamese community to Canada, the refugees that we need, to commemorate their history. It's not about giving an official interpretation of the history of another country.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Thank you.
Is there any further debate on the preamble?
Shall the preamble carry?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Thank you very much.
Thank you to all of the folks who have come to see our process in action today. Thank you for attending. Thank you to all of the committee members.
Mr. Dykstra.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I don't mean to interrupt, Mr. Chair, but there are a lot of people here who probably have never seen the process that we move through to get a bill through committee and send it back to the House. Perhaps you could explain to the senator and to his guests what just transpired in terms of this vote.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Thank you.
I appreciate the opportunity to explain our process here. To everyone in attendance we have now passed this bill through the committee, which we will report back to the House of Commons. It will then be debated once again in the House of Commons at third reading. As this bill originated in the Senate, it has already passed the Senate. If the House of Commons passes it at third reading, it will then go to the Governor General to receive royal assent and then it will be law.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
May I invite you, Mr. Chair, to explain what on division means, because otherwise it could be misunderstood.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Thank you, Mr. Dion.
On division means that it passed, but in fact members may or may not have supported it. It was not unanimous, but it did pass.
Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.