Mr. Speaker, the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women is launching the 1999 March 21 anti-racism campaign at the “Mandela and the Children” event today at the SkyDome in Toronto.
This will be the 11th annual public education campaign to raise awareness of racism in Canada and encourage Canadians to act forcefully to end racial discrimination.
President Nelson Mandela of the Republic of South Africa is the honoured guest at the launch.
As members will remember, March 21 commemorates the massacre in 1960 of peaceful demonstrators in Sharpeville, South Africa. President Mandela has many times expressed his appreciation to Canada for supporting the United Nations in the proclamation of March 21 as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
The 1999 March 21 campaign is direct and hard hitting. It encourages all Canadians to join the fight against racism and racial discrimination. A key element of the campaign has become the “Stop Racism” national video competition which involves—