Mr. Speaker, as a Saskatchewanian born and bred, I cut my teeth on stories of the Dominion Day riots and the much worse events that actually took place at about the same time at the coal mine strike in Estevan.
I do not think there is anyone of proper mind who would deny that the work camps are a blot on Canadian history. I do not think anyone of my acquaintance would deny that the decision of the government of the day to arrest the trek leaders was stupid and unjustified.
Unfortunately, history is a chronicle of violence and injustice. Historical revisionism notwithstanding, there is nothing you can do to change history. As the bard said, "what is done is done and cannot be undone".
I am very uncomfortable with the principle of apologizing to people who suffered in the past because of my ancestors, if you will. We are faced with a stream of people who want to be apologized to for things their ancestors have suffered. At the moment there are Canadians of Ukrainian descent asking for apologies for the internment of their grandfathers and great-grand-
fathers during the first world war. There are Canadians of Chinese descent asking us to apologize as a society for the head tax.
Where do we draw the line? Are we going to continue apologizing forever? I had ancestors who were dispossessed of their lands in Scotland in order to make room for sheep. Am I supposed to go out and ask for apologies from people who had nothing whatsoever to do with that? I do not believe so.
More important, besides the question of where to draw the line, what is the point? Nothing we say or do here can undo the evil that was done 60 years ago. To be meaningful, an apology requires a certain degree of contrition. Frankly, I do not feel any guilt for actions that took place in my province when I was just a little boy. I did not break any heads, and I am not acquainted personally with anybody who did.
If the hon. member for Regina-Qu'Appelle wants to assuage his personal conscience or wants to go on a guilt trip, I am not going to accompany him. I would respectfully suggest that if he really wants to do something he should take a few thousand dollars out of his bank account, track down each surviving protagonist and buy each one a bottle of the best. That would be a commendable and meaningful gesture, which I would applaud wildly.
What is being proposed here in the House today is meaningless; it is window dressing. We are not going to resurrect the dead. We are not going to heal the wounds of people who had their skulls cracked 60 years ago. Let us get on with our lives. We have more important things to worry about in the House.
I will not be supporting the motion made by the hon. member.