Peter Goldring

[Edmonton Ball Hockey, December 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a championship ball hockey team. The team members epitomize determination, good character, perseverance and exemplify the best of team effort.

The team members grew up in Edmonton's inner city. They faced poverty's challenges straight on. They have practised together at sport, not crime, and brought honour to the community of McCauley with their championship win.

They won the right to take great pride in their achievements. They won the respect and admiration of their community's youth which is so very important to encourage the young away from inner city ills. They have become inner city role models.

They won the right to represent McCauley in the January Florida World Championship. Unfortunately, they won the right and not the funds.

Hats off to Raeo Dempsey and the boys of the Skidrow Dog'z for a job well done. First rate, I say. Edmonton, truly the city of champions.

[Nisga'A Final Agreement Act, December 2nd, 1999]

moved:

Motion No. 19

That Bill C-9, in the preamble, be amended by deleting lines 10 to 15 on page 1.

[Petitions, December 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, today I take great pride in presenting a petition put forth by 1,273 concerned Canadians, mostly from the province of Quebec.

These petitioners ask our government to affirm that all Canadians are equal under all circumstances and without exception in the province of Quebec and throughout Canada. They wish to remind our government to only enact legislation that affirms the equality of each and every individual under the laws of Canada.

[Petitions, December 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, today I take great pride in presenting a petition put forth by over 1,200 concerned Canadians mostly from the province of Quebec.

The petitioners ask our government to affirm that all Canadians are equal under all circumstances and without exception in the province of Quebec and throughout Canada.

They wish to remind the government to enact only legislation that affirms the equality of each and every individual under the laws of Canada.

[Recognition Of Crimes Against Humanity Act, November 30th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-224, the recognition of crimes against humanity act, sponsored by the hon. member for Brampton Centre. It is regrettable that the bill is not votable. It is hoped that the government will take serious note of this debate and act upon the sentiments that are expressed by myself and my hon. colleagues.

Under Bill C-224, the Canadian Museum of Civilization is directed by parliament to establish an exhibit that recognizes crimes against humanity perpetrated during the 20th century. The exhibit is to be located in the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The board of trustees is given two years from the time of the parliamentary direction to establish the exhibit “crimes against humanity” under the act defined by the United Nations. That definition is quite broad, encompassing specific acts committed as part of a widespread or systemic attack directed against any civilian population.

By using the United Nations crimes against humanity definition rather than the United Nations definition of genocide, the hon. member has broadened the categories of acts that would be depicted by the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Genocide is a crime against humanity, although not all crimes against humanity are genocides. Genocide is an act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

While the notorious rape of Nanking, China by the Japanese prior to the commencement of World War II would be categorized as a crime against humanity, it is not genocide. The rape of Nanking is a matter of particular horror to those Canadians with family ties to China, just as the Russian-induced Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933 is a matter of particular horror to those Canadians with ties to the Ukraine. If, by the hon. member's bill, the rape of Nanking were to be remembered in Canada, that would mean very much to many people.

I am supportive of the hon. member's bill, and in particular of his willingness to support parliamentary direction into how our federally funded museums shall utilize the public financial resources that are voted on by this House and to be used in accordance with the wishes of the House. Sometimes bureaucrats forget that the public funds that they are accountable for are in fact trust funds for the public's benefit, with the trust established through votes in the House.

In the past, we have seen a need for intervention by members of the House and the other place with respect to the administration of the Canadian War Museum and an ill-fated proposal to house a holocaust gallery in it. Many in the House and elsewhere commented that it would be preferable to address this dark side of humanity elsewhere than in the Canadian War Museum. They felt this way since so much of our Canadian war artifacts and war art have yet to be properly displayed in the war museum.

These people also recognize that while there is one historically recognized Holocaust, the holocaust is part of a much larger history of attempted genocides and related crimes against humanity. Humanity's dark side should be subject to a separate display that is not tied to Canada's proud war history. As one step, I have introduced a motion, M-18, calling for a separate, self-sustaining world genocide museum in Canada.

The bill of the hon. member for Brampton Centre is one step in the right direction. One reason that his bill is declaratory and does not go so far as to require the creation of a separate crimes against humanity museum is that, as a government backbencher, the hon. member cannot introduce legislation requiring government expenditures; in short, he cannot introduce a money bill.

The human race has witnessed acts of genocide throughout its history. Genocide is not solely the horrendous byproduct of certain wars. In fact many incidents of genocide are not war related at all. Genocide is always a failure of humanity; the dark side of a civilization run amok.

It is important to groups which have been decimated by genocidal acts that the world remember the particular atrocities in order to learn and understand what happened. All groups affected by genocidal acts want only to be remembered equally. The genocides of world history cannot be distinguished on the basis of size or scope. All genocide is horror.

In my view, Canada should institutionalize remembrance to the construction of a world genocide museum. This would be a museum in Canada's capital depicting the madness and inhumanity of the decimation of so many. Such a museum would send a powerful message to visiting world leaders. It would speak clearly to all Canadians as to the duty to be advocates of a world peace that respects all persons.

As is commonly understood, our history has witnessed one Holocaust in World War II, and many attempted genocides. The Holocaust is a uniquely recognized attempt at genocide. Others are not so similarly recognized but should be clearly remembered.

In my view, genocide should be regarded more as a failure of civilization rather than a product of war, whether it be the Ukrainian famine, the Cambodian killing fields or the Holocaust. The dark side of humanity is a separate issue to be remembered quite apart from the honourable military histories. It is my hope that consideration will be given to examining the dark side of humanity throughout history by way of the establishment in Canada of a permanent world genocide museum.

[Petitions, November 29th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in presenting a petition put forth by 1,799 concerned Canadians, mostly from the province of Quebec.

The petitioners ask the government to affirm that all Canadians are equal under all circumstances and without exception in the province of Quebec and throughout Canada. They wish to remind the government only to enact legislation that affirms the equality of each and every individual under the laws of Canada.

[Petitions, November 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in presenting a petition put forth by many concerned Canadians but mostly from the province of Quebec.

The petitioners are asking our government to affirm that all Canadians are equal under all circumstances and without exception in the province of Quebec and throughout Canada. They wish to remind our government to only enact legislation that affirms the equality of each and every individual under the laws of Canada.

[Veterans Affairs, November 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, a $1 billion betrayal of war veterans' trust. In 1990, the government legislated to deny interest on veterans' trust accounts which should have been paid from World War II to 1990. This is gross mismanagement and possibly negligence.

What is the minister going to do to investigate this and correct this wrong?

[Remembrance Day, November 4th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we remember today the blood and tears shed for our freedom by war veterans of Canada and Newfoundland. As the sands of time slip from this century, we pause to reflect on the supreme price paid by so many for the peace we enjoy today, ending a century so violent that humanity was brought to the brink.

In 1899, soldiers left for war in South Africa, their sacrifices immortalized in bronze at the gates of old Quebec, standing as testament to this century's baptism by war.

Then Canada was born into the world of nations by respect gained for its price paid for world peace with the blood of its young as 100,000 moved forth at Vimy Ridge in 1917. A majestic memorial defying real description stands on French soil to honour our soldiers' supreme effort.

Dawn soon broke on the beaches of Normandy with the silhouette of total war painted across its horizon. With 1,000 allied ships poised for action, D-Day had arrived in 1944. The tranquil shores bore witness to an invasion force of allied might that struck a death blow to Nazi tyranny bringing about Europe's freedom.

Soon a minute atom vaporized Hirohito's will for war. The death clouds scarcely fade dissipating 100,000 souls as the Korean war loomed in the ominous shadow of nuclear might.

The price tag of peace in this violent century has been war, and has been so very high with 110,000 Canadian war dead. We must learn from the harsh truths of wars past so that we not repeat humanity's mistakes.

History records the poppy as a symbol of earthly life, until a day in Flanders, when from the fields of war, Lt. Col. John McCrae penned verse of remembrance for Canada's war dead. He spoke for all who have faced their soul in the finality of the theatre of war, whether Korea, the gulf or the two world wars. He could well be speaking of all brave men who have soldiered the world for Canadian beliefs. His words are carved on the walls of this House and are as enduring as the threat of future war: “If he break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep”.

For our honourable war veterans and remembered war dead, we pause today to give our respect. We will not forget.

[War Veterans, November 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's proud war veterans are now, and should remain, the recipients of the enduring respect of all Canadians for the very high price for peace paid this century past.

We parliamentarians fully recognize that our existence and privileges enjoyed today are due to the efforts of Canada's war veterans and their 110,000 fallen comrades resting throughout the world.

We wish to support greater recognition of Canada's wartime contributions on this passing of the most violent century of all time.

We ask all Canadians to observe a two minute wave of silence to begin in Newfoundland, sweeping across the country in a silent wave through each time zone.

We parliamentarians of Canada should proclaim our support and pledge to encourage a two minute silence in our constituency at the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of 1999.