Madam Speaker, Motion No. 122 before us reads specifically as follows on page 39 of the Wednesday, March 13, 2002, Order Paper and Notice Paper:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government should consider amending the Canada Elections Act in order to grant the right to vote to those residing in Canada with landed immigrant status.
In the usual pattern, the member has reasoned himself into an illogical position.
We can just think back to recently here in the city of Ottawa, the capital, to January 2, 1997. At that time, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration noted that it was the beginning of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Canadian law under which we are Canadian citizens, for we must remember that in January 1947 the Canadian Citizenship Act first came into effect.
Prior to this event, people living in our country were considered British subjects residing in Canada. The passage of the act signified that Canada was at last a full fledged and equal member of the community of nations. We had a lot of celebrations that year. It was certainly a chance to reflect on the successes of our country and what we enjoyed over the previous decades. It was also a chance to think about the rights that we share as Canadian citizens and the responsibilities that go with such a distinction. We had special ceremonies and since then there is often a citizenship week in February.
Let us just look for a moment at what it really means to be a Canadian citizen, for Canadian history and traditions have created a country where our values include tolerance and respect for cultural differences and a commitment to social justice. We are proud of the fact that we are a peaceful nation and that we are accepted in many places around the world as peacekeepers. It does mean something when we wear the Canadian flag on our lapels when we travel abroad.
As a small population occupying a vast northern land enriched by immigration throughout its history, Canadians have developed a kind of genius, I think, for compromise and coexistence, which lie at the heart of our federal system of government. We value the fact that we live in a democracy where every citizen is encouraged to do his or her share. Our democratic values are the basis of our laws. These values include, among other things, equality. In other words, we respect everyone's rights, including the right to speak out and express ideas that others might disagree with, and we never take up arms as a result of that. Governments have to treat everyone with equal dignity and respect, which are both fundamental to our form of democracy.
Second in the values that I am talking about is tolerance. We try to understand and appreciate the cultures, the customs and the traditions of our neighbours.
Next is the ethos of peace. We are proud of our non-violent society and our international role as peacekeepers.
Next, then, is law and order. We respect democratic decision making and the rule of law. We promote due process so that the courts and the police will treat everyone fairly and reasonably and we ensure that our elected governments remain accountable to Canadians.
As we reflect on these values, we ask ourselves what responsibilities we can take around citizenship. One of those fundamental benefits that really makes citizenship valuable and that makes it mean something is that we have the right to vote. We have equality rights, democratic rights, legal rights, mobility rights, language rights, minority language rights and education rights. These are some of the general rights that come to us as benefits of being a Canadian citizen.
Also with being a Canadian citizen come some responsibilities. Canadians also share common responsibilities such as understanding and obeying Canadian laws, participating in Canada's democratic political system, voting in elections, allowing other Canadians to enjoy their rights and freedoms and appreciating and helping to preserve Canada's multicultural heritage. All Canadians are encouraged to become informed about political activities and to help better their communities. Also, we have a multicultural heritage.
However, we must also look at the charter. Under democratic rights, the charter states:
Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.
Therefore I have to pose this question to the member proposing the motion. Is the member also suggesting changes to the constitution of the country, to the charter of rights and freedoms and so on, before he proposes a change to our law here?
The problem is that the motion has an inherent meaning of undermining the value and the legal significance of citizenship. We must reflect on how such a high price was paid for citizenship of our country and what it really means in its fullest sense, represented, perhaps, by the graves of our soldiers around the world.
Canadian citizenship is a great gift, perhaps next to the charter of rights and freedoms which talks about life and security of the person. Consequently it would be it most disrespectful, I think, to support the motion before us today. We need to better promote Canada and what it means to be a Canadian citizen and to defend that from all those who would diminish the culmination of our great national achievement: to be a citizen of Canada.