Mario Silva

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, we have a moral duty to act to stop the carnage and unspeakable crimes that have taken place. We failed to act during Rwanda, the world failed to act during the holocaust that killed six million Jews, with crimes of indifference and silence. The often quoted axiom by Edmund Burke, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing”, unfortunately still holds true today.

Since the outbreak of hostilities in 2003, the crisis in Darfur has resulted in 400,000 largely civilian deaths, the displacement of more than 2 million people and the suffering of millions more. The peace talks have dragged on for over two years, with no results, including today when the government of Sudan walked away from the negotiation table

The previous government sponsored a document, “Responsibility to Protect”, to the UN, which stipulates that if a sovereign state is unable or unwilling to protect its citizens from extreme harm, the international community must intervene.

Clearly in Darfur, would the member not agree that the threshold of this document has been met for a meaningful intervention?

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, while I thank the minister for her words, I have a question for her. We know that Canada played a major role in the fight against apartheid in South Africa and we are very much concerned about the fact that, at the moment, non-government aid organizations are leaving Darfur in droves. With the important work they do in improving the quality of life for the people living in Darfur and also in bearing witness to the atrocities committed, their work must continue. Their departure plays right into the hands of the Sudanese government and its continued attempt to terrorize the people of Darfur.

I want to ask the minister what the government is prepared to do to make sure that those NGOs stay there. Also, what are the funding mechanisms we can use? How else are we going to engage the international community to stop this genocide that is going on before our eyes?

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I too had the pleasure and honour to be at that rally on Sunday with the leader of the New Democratic Party and other colleagues of the House. One thing became apparent, as the former speaker just said when he quoted from Dr. Epstein, that it is not a question of left or right. I am also not here to blame a government or past parties. The reality is that we have to appeal to all our sensibilities and to our humanity to do something that is right for the people of Darfur. It was too late in Rwanda, but it is not too late for Darfur.

I was happy to see a massive contingency of youth at the rally that was called “Scream for Darfur”. This rally was organized mostly by high school students with a keen sense of social justice and an understanding that continued silence is the equivalent of acceptance.

I want to take this opportunity to state my gratitude for having seen the power that our youth have to rally for important causes. The youth of Canada are literally screaming for us to stop this massacre. The member mentioned the African Union monitoring force in Darfur. Unfortunately, it is not empowered with the ability to intervene or to protect the innocent people of Darfur.

Would the member support empowering the African Union force to intervene or would he prefer to see a more international force involved in the conflict?

[Petitions, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, today I stand in solidarity with undocumented workers being deported from Canada.

Unfortunately, the situation is getting worse. Today we are joined by Kimberly and Gerald Lizano-Sossa, the children detained by Canada Border Services Agency officials inside their school. I met with them and their parents and this story is truly sad and inspiring.

There is a problem when the government storms a school, a place of sanctuary, and uses children as bait. The petitioners and I call upon the government to find a humane solution to this, and I pray that the minister will never again use children as bait.

[Petitions, April 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am once again rising in this House to present a petition signed by many people across the country. The petitioners call upon Parliament to immediately halt the deportation of undocumented workers and to find a humane and logical solution to the situation.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Jaimie Ledo. He is somebody who went to Portugal with his wife Viviane Souza. They have a four-year-old son named Jimmy who was born in this country. They left before the deportation orders because they were afraid the family would be separated. The mother is from Brazil and the father is from Portugal.

This is a real human tragedy, and I am trying to see what the government can do. It is unfair to separate husbands and wives from their children, especially Canadian-born children.

[Darfur, April 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, as we speak, thousands of people are being systematically slaughtered, raped and pillaged by Sudanese government sponsored militias in Darfur.

Sixty five years ago the world remained silent to the death of millions and vowed never again. This week our country marked the Holocaust Remembrance Day and yet today genocidal horrors are once again going unchallenged.

Today we must speak up against the evils occurring in Darfur. On Sunday, at Toronto city hall, thousands of people will gather to shout for Darfur. I stand with them in calling for Canada to be a leader in ending the horrendous violence in Darfur.

I call upon all members of the House, and all people of good conscience, to take action on this issue.

[Petitions, April 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I once again rise in the House to present a petition that has been signed by many people across this country who are calling upon the government and Parliament to immediately halt the deportation of undocumented workers and to find a humane and logical solution to their situation.

Many people working without documents in this country play a vital role in this country's economy. If they were to be deported immediately en masse it would have severe economic consequences, not to mention, of course, the humanitarian consequences of dividing families who have many children born in this country.

[Petitions, April 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, once again I rise in the House to present a petition on behalf of many Canadians who are asking the government to find a humane and logical solution to the deportation of undocumented workers. I must state as well that yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and I want to thank him for the courtesy that was shown to me and his attentiveness on this issue. I am hopeful that we will find a humane and sustainable solution to the situation.

[Federal Accountability Act, April 25th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, in my speech, I raised my serious concern about third party advertising. In countries such as the United States, we have seen third party advertising and lobbyists play a major role in elections. This is major flaw in the legislation and it needs to be addressed.

[Federal Accountability Act, April 25th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that this dinner is a $1,000 a plate dinner. I do not know but would hope that the Prime Minister in fact would not use taxpayers' money to get to the event. I think that again would be a total act of hypocrisy by the government. It claims to be an accountable government, but it in fact has acted quite the contrary.