Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, the hon. member, for expressing his views on the commemoration of crimes against humanity committed during this century.
There are a number of ways to commemorate such phenomenal violations of human rights and security. A museum exhibition would be one of them. There are certainly other ways.
We are about to enter the 21st century. The time has come to take a moment to reflect on the century that is coming to an end. As my colleague who presented this bill said so eloquently, the 20th century alone is enough to show, through too many examples, man's inhumanity to man.
I think there are lessons to be learned from the past. Canada stands as a role model for the rest of the world. Everybody here can find order and good government. People can co-exist in harmony with intercultural understanding and sharing and with respect for differences.
Individuals from diverse backgrounds make up our country and we have learned to respect one another's culture, religion, race and ethnic origin. We are, therefore, sensitive to the pain of those Canadians who may at one time have been victimized by the inhumanity of war, or by bigotry and oppression.
Our history records that we have made errors of our own. Canadians wish those moments had never happened. We wish we could rewrite history but unfortunately we cannot. However we can and must learn from the past.
If we are to learn from the past, if we are to hope that one day humankind can live together in peace and respect, we must always be mindful of the cruelty of tyranny, of the massacres of peoples, and of the incarceration, degradation and inhumanity that man has wrought on his fellow human beings.
We must all be aware of the extent of the atrocious crimes against humanity which have taken place through history. We will be better able to learn from the past if we remember the crimes against humanity which are still fresh in our memories and which are the sorry legacy of the 20th century.
The voice of Canada is a voice for peace. Canada was the first country to suggest the use of peace keeping forces and today we are keeping the peace in many countries around the world.
On the eve of the 21st century, Canada is well placed to show the way into a safer and more peaceful world. In the last throne speech, the government promised to put a greater emphasis on human security in its foreign policy, and help international bodies make progress on the global issue of human security.
One is better able to understand the significance of this promise when one is aware of the injustices which have threatened human security during this century and learns from these experiences.
We strongly believe that on the world stage we as Canadians can influence change. Protection from crimes against humanity can best be gained through ensuring that all countries and their peoples have a profound respect for and understanding of the universal declaration of human rights.
Human rights are intrinsic to a rich and fulfilled life. The recent 50th anniversary of the adoption of the universal declaration of human rights by the United Nations General Assembly gave Canadians a superb opportunity to reflect on how human rights contribute to the quality of life in Canada.
International and Canadian organizations keep on looking for solutions to the ongoing problems of human rights violations, and to problems that have just been identified as such.
The establishment of an International Criminal Tribunal is only one of the many current initiatives taken by Canada and the international community to deal with these problems.
Over the years Canada has established a legislative and policy framework that defines the rights as well as the responsibilities of its citizens. Every jurisdiction in Canada has enforceable human rights legislation designed to combat discrimination in areas such as employment, accommodation, and the provision of goods and services.
However legislation alone does not guarantee de facto civil and political rights in the country. It must be combined with the supportive infrastructure of good public policy and programs that seek partnership with and are informed by civil society through NGOs, the private sector and our institutions.
In conclusion, I emphasize the importance of learning about the tragedy of crimes against humanity in the 20th century and understanding the lessons of the past. By ensuring that the lessons are well understood, we will be able to build a better society for future generations of Canadians. Because of this I would like to thank my colleague for the opportunity he has given us today to debate the issue.