Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day of Peace. This year's theme is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All”. Will the Rohingya fleeing ethnic cleansing at the hands of the Myanmar regime whose state councillor is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate join us in celebrating? The irony.
After the wars of the 20th century, it is over 100 million killed in world wars, genocides, the Holocaust, the Holodomor. Annually, we pledge never again. Yet, in the 21st century we have had the genocide of Darfurians, Yazidis, and now we stand by watching the Rohingya crime against humanity.
Canada has brought together people of every race, religion, and culture. It is our multicultural Canada, a peaceful global village prototype. We have shown international leadership in peace: our Pearsonian legacy, the Ottawa treaty, the responsibility to protect doctrine.
On this day of peace, let us not just pledge peace; let us build the institutions that will create a global culture of peace.