Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge that the member for Calgary Southeast is honourable.
Lost his last election, in 2004, with 37% of the vote.
Department Of Canadian Heritage Act December 14th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge that the member for Calgary Southeast is honourable.
Department Of Canadian Heritage Act December 14th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, never in my mind is the member dishonourable. I regret that she said it but the statement was made and it is with pain that I received the statement. Therefore, to that extent I would like you to consider that the statement lacks honour.
Department Of Canadian Heritage Act December 14th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, if I said dishonourable member, I would withdraw it. What she did in her speech was dishonourable.
Department Of Canadian Heritage Act December 14th, 1994
Yes, Mr. Speaker. The member for Calgary Southeast said: "The member for Winnipeg North suggested that the foundation", referring to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, "should not exist because the responsibility for the program should be accomplished elsewhere".
For the record of the House I would like to state that on May 29, 1990, to which the member was referring, I stated on page 12020 of Hansard with reference to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation:
I support this bill, which is to contribute to the elimination of racism and all forms of racial discrimination in Canadian society.
On the following page I said again:
I support this Canadian Race Relations Foundation based on the preamble that we will support and reaffirm our support for the international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination; that we will henceforth reaffirm our belief and support in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; that the Canadian Multiculturalism Act would assume greater and greater meaning.
The record speaks for itself. What the member for Calgary Southeast did was not only take my statement out of context but misrepresented my statements. Therefore to me it was a dishonourable thing.
Department Of Canadian Heritage Act December 14th, 1994
I rise on a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this afternoon the member for Calgary Southeast stated: "We have some of the same concerns expressed by the Liberals when they were in opposition. Let me remind you, Mr. Speaker, of some of their earlier criticisms. The member for Winnipeg North suggested that the foundation, referring to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation"-
Centennial Flame Research Award December 13th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Disabled Persons, I announce with pride that the recipient of the 1994 Centennial Flame Research Award is Linda Nancoo of Toronto.
Administered by our committee, the award honours the courage and determination of Canadians with disabilities. It recognizes their many contributions to society.
Ms. Nancoo, a person with a vision disability, has proven that a physical disability need not be a barrier to success as a writer. Her project will address the relationship between culture and disability, utilizing real life stories of Canadians with disabilities from the ethnocultural community.
This project is designed to generate increased awareness and sensitivity on this issue on the part of all Canadians.
On behalf of the committee I congratulate Ms. Nancoo on her achievements. By honouring her, the committee and therefore the House of Commons itself is honouring all Canadians with disabilities. I ask all colleagues to join me in this sentiment.
Employment Equity Act December 13th, 1994
Yes it is. It is about equity. It is about the equitable representation of those with talents in the workforce because for a generation Canada has failed. Therefore, the Liberal government of the past and the Liberal government of today are again trying to reinforce the fundamental principles that govern this bill.
In the process of addressing the legislation, I would like to reiterate that the bill can be looked on as a legislative centrepiece of our core Canadian social values, social equity among all of us.
I have mentioned the operative principles of the bill. What does it achieve, we may ask. I submit that we will achieve effective utilization of one's talents and one's skills. It will ensure businesses will provide better client service and therefore better and good business for the employers. By achieving this we will create harmony among all of us. There will be no feeling of being a second class citizen because of one's disability, colour, gender or aboriginal origin.
Who will question, and why should we question, if we can enhance the maximum productivity of all peoples with talents, that we should not utilize them and get them into the workforce, by applying the principle of fairness.
I submit that by adopting the principles of this bill we will be able to benefit not only the designated groups as defined in the bill, not only the visible minorities, not only the people with disabilities, not only women, not only aboriginal people. We will benefit everyone. Therefore, this is a bill for all Canadians to consider.
That is why the bill has seen to it that in addition to the private sector, the public sector will now be covered so that the government is setting a model. To ensure that we give teeth to what we believe, to ensure that we give enforcement to what we would like to happen, the Canadian Human Rights Commission will be mandated to have this authority.
However, the work of the Human Rights Commission will not be in an adversarial fashion. It will be done within the spirit of co-operation and collaboration.
Therefore when we see our armed forces, the RCMP, our security intelligence service agency being covered under the act, to me this is a social blessing and the time has come. It will ensure that we achieve the purpose for which this act was first enacted, to ensure employers achieve a workforce that is equitable and representative of the four designated groups.
As chair of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Disabled Persons to which this act will be referred by the House, I am delighted to serve on that committee. Our committee will ensure that there will be open and inclusive discussion and participation of all, that any matter referred to in the bill will be addressed, utilizing a wide consultation.
We would like to hear from all groups concerned. We would like to hear from the minister, from the department officials, from departments of government that are involved in the delivery of this program. We will invite the opposition to articulate its views to us on this issue, so that together we can shape a truly equitable Employment Equity Act.
In closing, I am delighted to support this bill because it reinforces a core Canadian value, the principle of social justice for all.
Employment Equity Act December 13th, 1994
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to speak to this bill before the House, an act respecting the Employment Equity Act.
I support the bill because the principles for which it stands are very sound. Moreover we anticipate that the provisions and the regulations that will emanate following the study of this bill will be sound in practice as well.
In essence, the Employment Equity Act is challenging us to put into practice the principles that describe the core values of Canada. The values about which we are speaking relate to the merit principle, to excellence, to human dignity, to respect, to the very core values that Canadians hold dear, to fairness and equality.
I heard earlier there was concern that we would only address the victims as though the victims have no talents, as though the victims have no competence, as though the victims have no excellence. The very essence of the Employment Equity Act is to hold very high the principle of excellence and merit above all else, irrespective of colour, irrespective of gender, irrespective of disability and irrespective of origin as a people.
Filipino Canadians December 12th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the popular TV show "Frasier" recently carried a joke with the punch line "For an additional $5,000 you can get a brand-new wife from the Philippines".
This comment has enraged thousands of Filipino Canadians. The painful echo of this contemptuous remark will resonate loud and long, long after the canned laughter has faded away. By maligning an ethnic group, by exploiting women and by refusing to make amends, the NBC network has shown an utter lack of sensitivity.
There is no humour in racism. There is no humour in sexism. There is no humour in degrading any human being for profit. The comment offends common decency. It offends Canadians who do not suffer bigotry willingly, who cannot allow a laugh to be gained at the expense of an entire community, at the expense of an entire people.
Apologies are indeed in order.
Human Rights Day December 9th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we celebrate the 46th anniversary of International Human Rights Day.
The world has since shown greater respect for freedom and human dignity. The Berlin wall has collapsed, the iron curtain has been lifted, apartheid has been abolished, and dictatorships have been overthrown.
At the same time we note with sorrow that citizens of other nations continue to live in oppression, or are forced to wage bloody wars to secure freedom.
We shall not despair. New tools for dialogue are emerging. Trade missions have built bridges of understanding and respect for one another. Canada is proud to have its International Centre for Human Rights. As a nation we should be proud of our leadership in this field, doing our utmost to promote peace and justice throughout the world to secure human dignity for all.