Official Languages Committee on Feb. 9th, 2012

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Pardon me, Mr. Chairman.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

The letter is obviously available in both official languages. To my great surprise, barely a few hours after posting it, I believe, mid-afternoon yesterday, I received the first letter from a citizen which I am going to take the time to read to you. I believe it's important to make the voices of citizens heard in this debate. The letter, entitled "Ode to censorship", reads as follows:

As a proud Canadian citizen, proud of instilling in my children the values of democracy and freedom so dear to me, I was deeply disappointed to learn that the present government is once again disregarding the major principles so fundamental in enabling a democracy to remain sound and in good health. The foundations of our democratic system have been undermined since this majority Conservative government came to power. Its intention to conduct proceedings in camera is merely the next logical step in a series of undemocratic measures taken by this party, which maintains a culture of secrecy and disinformation. Our country is sick. Democracy quickly disintegrates when a government acts in opposition to the reasons why people have brought them to power. The people want to know; the people want to be able to react. And most of all, the people want to be able to raise their voice and to be heard by their political elites. However, the Conservative government is deaf to the demands made by the public; the Conservative government is blind to the point where it cannot see that the measures it takes fuel political cynicism. Perhaps I am naive. Perhaps the Conservative government is actually not deaf, but that it only need make demands on the public, at least when it is not in an election campaign. Perhaps the Conservative government is not blind, but knows that, by fuelling a cynical attitude toward politics, it ensures that people will let it work in peace, that it can continue to do what it wants without any concern for the impact of its policies on the lives of people, of the men and women who every day work to build the Canada of tomorrow. George Orwell's novel 1984 is prophetic. While it was initially written to denounce the excesses of the Stalinist regime, it is now clear that the topicality of his writings could soon apply to our times, in our country, Canada. In 1984, Winston Smith, who works for the Ministry of Truth, lives in a country where secrecy and ignorance enable the government in power to control a subjugated and resigned populace. If we continue in the same direction, measures designed to keep everything secret will give way to others that will lead to a society [reserved] for a few initiates who will hold power, to the detriment of the population of Canada. I especially do not want to live in a country whose slogan would be: "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength." I want the press to have access to information. I don't want to live in ignorance. Freedom is the opportunity to have access to decisions made by parliamentarians who work for those who elected them. Peace is the end result of a society that works together toward a better future and relies on the honesty of its political elites.

We are entitled to wonder about the Conservative government's habit of keeping what it does secret. Why should it want to control information to such a degree if what it is doing is in our interest? Why continually want to muzzle the opposition in the decision-making process? How many times have I heard the government loudly proclaim that it has received a clear majority mandate from the people? Then what does it do about the nearly 61% of registered voters who expect to be able to be [heard?]. Is this a dictatorship in which a single party controls political life? Perhaps you think I exaggerate in referring to dictatorship here, but the principle of control of information, thus facilitating effective propaganda, is the basis of any good dictatorial system. It is clear from the many cases of lying and disinformation by Conservative members that this government is not really concerned with the truth. Rather it is concerned with its own truth, the truth it can spread knowing that it alone has the true information. Freedom of the press and an effective opposition result in healthy debate in a society that considers itself free and democratic. From what the government says, we are a model of democracy, to the point where we can even afford to preach to countries that do not grant freedom of speech. The Conservative government has even taken the liberty of involving Canada in conflicts against alleged thug [states]. But tell me, are we really in any moral position to preach to any [state] whatever? Can we claim the right to freedom of expression around the world when, here in our own Canadian [Parliament], we as a society are witnessing acts that limit access to information and that thus also limit our ability to express ourselves? What moral weight do we carry in the world when our democratic system is weakened day after day by unfair tactics used by the Conservative government to muzzle public opinion? We are living in troubled times, and I dare hope they will soon come to an end. Let the Conservative government stop saying that it is effective and that it is making decisions that represent the majority; let it stop saying that it is acting in the interests of Canadians when it makes every effort to conceal its actions and the decisions it makes; let it stop concerning itself with the flag and the Queen and focus on the situation of Canadians; let it stop taking the public for an uneducated lot that [would understand] nothing in any case, even if it were informed; let it stop, above all, taking for granted the silence of voters who will wake up one day and see that the government has butchered the transparency of its public institutions. That moreover is why, through a member of Parliament, I am, in my own way, breaking the silence on what I believe is something unjust and dangerous for our democratic system. On my own behalf and that of the members of my family, I ask the Conservative government to be more transparent so that all parliamentarians can do their job; I am asking the Conservative government to stop maintaining the cult of secrecy so that the press can inform the public; I am asking the Conservative government to open up [to the] 61% of the population that did not vote for it; I am asking the Conservative government to take action to protect our democratic system and to enable my daughters, among others, to live in a society where autocracy and propaganda are not central to the parliamentary system; lastly, I am asking the Conservative government to be transparent in its actions so as to preserve what little democracy we appear to have left...

And it is signed Jean-François Paré, whose address I will not disclose.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Chairman?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

[Editor's Note: Inaudible] Yes, Mr. Harris?

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Pardon the interruption, but I would like to recall a point that I raised a few meetings ago. I would like some clarification on the subject of the signs that we have that do not acknowledge the fact that we have female members. This is a problem. There used to be only one case where the final e appeared, but now there are more. I'd like to know why.

I don't expect an immediate answer. I know that some research will have to be done on the subject. The fact remains that I believe this has the effect of not recognizing the current equality in this country.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

On that point, the old signs recognized both, and sometimes there was discrimination. Some had it, others not. So from what I understand, we have posted standard signs. These are now the signs we will have.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

May I make a comment, Mr. Chairman?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

There used to be two kinds of signs: signs with the word "député", with a single e with an acute accent, and others with an e with an acute accent followed by a silent e. Then they were all removed and a standard sign was installed.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Do the committee by-laws recognize the masculine as official? Is that written somewhere?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

I don't know whether it's written, but that is not a point of order.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

May I make a comment, Mr. Chairman?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

Is it a point of order?

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

No.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

If it isn't a point or order, Mr. Aubin may continue his speech.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

News travels fast.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Was that a point of order, or did you hand over the floor to Mr. Harris as—

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

No, he raised a point of order.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

No, he never said that.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

I didn't hear those words.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

He never said "point of order".

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

I asked him whether it was a point of order and he said yes.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

No, no. We'll check the record.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

Go ahead, Mr. Aubin.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I said it was a point of order.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

No, no.