Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to Bill C-33. This legislation will amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation.
Currently the act forbids discrimination against Canadians because of their race, national or ethnic origins, colour, religion, age, marital status, family status or disabilities.
The purpose of this legislation is to insert into the act that which the courts have already declared into law in Canada. We know there is much emotion surrounding this bill. We also know this has been a policy of the federal Liberals since 1978, affirmed again at our last policy convention in 1994.
We know also that this has been included in the acts of eight provinces and territories in Canada. My province of Ontario introduced sexual orientation into its human rights act in 1986, some ten years ago. We also know the human rights commissions of all remaining Canadian jurisdictions have recommended that sexual orientation be added to human rights legislation.
There seems to be a lot of confusion and misinterpretation regarding this legislation. Much of it centres around its possible effects on the family. I remind the House the family is important to me, as it is to the people of Guelph- Wellington. Family must be the centre of our lives. I would not hesitate to speak out against any legislation which would end the importance of our families. That is why I am pleased to note in the bill's preamble these important words: "And whereas the government recognizes and affirms the importance of family as the foundation of Canadian society and that nothing in this act alters its fundamental role in society".
Those are comforting words. The family is the foundation of society and must continue to be respected and promoted as such. The preamble's purpose is to remind Canadians and parliamentarians that the act deals with discrimination in employment and the provision of goods and services. The fundamental role of family will not be altered by this amendment.
Canada is the best country in the world. We do not need the United Nations to remind us of that, although it continues to do so in poll after poll. It is the best country because of our cherished tradition of caring for one another. Health care, social services, education and public pensions are examples of why the world looks to us as a nation to copy.
Canadians enjoy the unique privilege of being the world's best. Our federal government must lead by defending the principle of equality for all Canadians, everyone. Our social programs and our health care are not the only reason we are the best. We are the best because we have shown tolerance and understanding to each other. We care for our aged. We look out for one another in need and we do not accept bigotry, intolerance or discrimination.
There seems to be a lot of discussion about the legislation which would in effect cover about 10 per cent of the workforce. The act specifies that a person cannot be fired, denied a promotion or refused access to goods and services because of who they are. However, sometimes it is important to remind Canadians of what legislation does not say.
In this case the act does not apply to religious, cultural or educational institutions. It does not apply to residential accommodation. It does not apply to retail and manufacturing businesses and it does not apply to provincial jurisdictions. It does not tell us what to do in our homes.
Canadians cannot accept intolerance. Certainly no one, particularly those in positions of power or leadership, would accept that people should be fired or placed at the back of a room or a bus because someone else finds their colour, their religion, their age, their sexual orientation offensive. Or would they?
It is possible there are still some Canadians who would rather fire an employee, no matter how good that person is, because a client or a customer is somehow offended by their colour or who they are.
Those ideas proved the worth of this legislation. Those ideas proved Canadians still need protection, not special rights, because they happen to be black, Jewish, Chinese or over 50 years old.
Reformers argue they want to see the list of prohibited grounds repealed altogether, ensuring equal treatment for all Canadians. Obviously they do not all agree.
However, let me challenge them to visit a seniors group and remind them they want to end protection based on age. Let them visit a synagogue, mosque or Christian church and tell the congregation they want to end protection based on religion. Let them visit women who have been fired or who lacked promotion because of the simple fact they are women.
We need no lesson on equality from Reformers. The sad reason we need to protect people is that there are those in this great country who believe the back of the bus is the place for some of us. There are those who believe the back of the room is the place to hide while bigotry, racism and intolerance are accepted.
We as a government, as elected officials, must take a stand and say we do not tolerate bigotry. We cannot accept that some Canadians, our sons, daughters, mothers, daughters, co-workers, employees and friends, are denied goods and services, are overlooked for promotion, are ignored or, worse, beaten because of who they are. The only thing we must be intolerant of is intolerance against others.
This amendment has the support of such national organizations as the Canadian Jewish Congress, the YWCA, the Canadian Bankers Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the Anglican Church of Canada.
I know there is concern about this legislation. Much of this concern has resulted from the importance of marriage and family. I know there are individuals who enjoy stretching the facts. These same people said that gun control would lead to confiscation and that Bill C-41 would lead to the legalization of pedophilia.
However, what we are doing here is recognizing that certain Canadians require our protection in certain parts of their lives. This does not condone what they do elsewhere.
Allow me to quote Sean Durkan from the May 5, 1996 edition of the Ottawa Sun :
Telling someone they must sit at the back of the bus until such a time as a way can be worked out to place everyone at the back of that bus does not cut it.
It is time to get off that bus and back on the road to tolerance and understanding.