Mr. Speaker, I look forward to resuming debate on Bill C-64.
To sum up what I have already said, as a Reformer I stand by and support the concept of equality for all Canadians, whether that equality be in law or in opportunity in the marketplace. As a Reformer I am strongly opposed to the injustice of establishing employment goals for designated groups. I have listened to young people who also resent the inference of inequality of such employment equity legislation as we see today.
Visible minorities do not want this type of help as it creates resentment not only within their own communities but also in their efforts to be accepted as equals within the larger community.
A young second generation Chinese Canadian journalism student recently shared her frustration in my constituency office. Despite her excellent qualifications, the recognition that she had received was lessened by the question of whether her success was in fact a token of her perceived difference rather than reward for her unequivocal excellence. Tokenism has no part in Canada if we truly believe in equality.
It is the government's job to provide the means for equality of opportunity. It is not the government's job to push unjust and unfair equality of results in the marketplace. Employment equity is unnecessary and it is unwise as it institutionalizes the very notion of discrimination that it purports to reject.
Years ago as society's architects only mused about the notion of legislating hiring practices, Martin Luther dreamt of a society that was blind to race and gender. "Judge us not by the colour of our skin but by the content of our character" he implored. How sad that Canadians are being driven to adopt policies that deny the very principles we hold dear. These are principles that are upheld by Canadians of all abilities and backgrounds. These are principles that will lead us to the prosperity we deserve as a great country, principles which we have presented in this brief discussion.
The legislation of Bill C-64 works against the principles I have described, principles of equality, of fiscal accountability and of the excellence of all Canadians in our society.