Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the New Democrat caucus to pay tribute to Johnnie Smith, who left this world and us last September 25. Johnnie was born on April 1, 1922 near Marsh Lake, where he now lies with the Tagish Kwan people. His life and soul were always on the land. He lived off the land by hunting, trapping and cutting wood with his wife of 68 years, Annie.
Johnnie was always a reliable provider for his large family throughout a time of economic change that did not always value the traditional way of life. He had a close business relationship with the Taylor and Drury store, where he sold his furs and the berries that his family picked. He instilled in his children and his grandchildren a very strong work ethic that served them well as each one took his or her share of the load of making a living. He taught his family that “you have to do what you have to do” so that you can earn a living.
Johnnie had a strong commitment to helping others, and his loving concern was enjoyed not only by his family, but by his community as well. He grasped what the changes meant. His leadership qualities were recognized by his community when he became the transitional chief from his father under the hereditary system, and was then elected chief twice more between the years of 1969 and 1988. He was instrumental in the relocation of Kwanlin Dun from the Marwell Industrial Area in Whitehorse to its present location and was very active in land claims and self-government negotiations.
Although Johnnie received no formal education himself, he firmly believed in education, encouraging everyone to stay in school, even when it meant sending his children to residential school after a weekend or a holiday at home in the bush. He always made sure that they returned on time.
Johnnie travelled around the southern Yukon by foot, dog team and on the river. He was never afraid to try new things and delighted in buying his first vehicle — a brown panel truck from the army, in which he used to take his family to his father’s country in the Wheaton River valley. An example of the change he saw in his lifetime was the fact that his very first plane ride was to Ottawa to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss land claims in 1973.
The strength, the flexibility, and the integrity that Johnnie had throughout his life came from his relationship to the land and to First Nation culture. He had a remarkable facility with language and spoke Tlingit, Tagish, Kaska, Southern Tutchone, and some Northern Tutchone. Much of his time in later years was spent teaching Southern Tutchone, traditional storytelling, singing, drumming and dancing. He and Annie also found comfort and fellowship in their Christian beliefs and, to this day, a building that he built as a garage is still used as their church.
Johnnie’s relatives have described him, first, as very wise and a caring grandparent and parent. His daughter says she couldn’t ask for a better dad and that he always gave a lot of love. He was very patient with his children and he had a great sense of humour. Johnnie’s ability to adapt meant that he got along with everyone and he had many good non-First Nation friends. He never hesitated to give advice to anyone, even to his daughter Judy when she became the Commissioner of the Yukon. He was a good listener and was always counted on to be reasonable. He wasn’t afraid to change his mind after thinking about an issue.
As a respected elder, he would compare the present day to long ago and was completely aware of the changes that might interfere with the natural processes of the Earth. He could tell the weather from the behaviour of animals. He is remembered for having told a bear that got a little close to his camp, in Southern Tutchone, “We’ve got to live too. Go find your own food.” He refused to kill it, and the bear finally ran away. Johnnie Smith’s life is symbolic of a generation of strong leaders who have led First Nations in this territory from uncertainty into a future that is now bright with promise. Based on the traditional culture of his ancestors, Johnnie Smith’s vision gave him the adaptability and confidence to achieve great things for his family, for his people and for all Yukoners. We should all give thanks for having had him in our lives and for his family for sharing him with us.
Today I rise on behalf of the New Democrat caucus and the Official Opposition to pay tribute to Skilled Trades and Technology Week. As difficult as it may be, I’m going to try to keep my comments brief, as many of the remarks made by the minister — or maybe I should say “Rube X” — were on the mark. The minister should be applauded for being a good sport, although I’ve been advised by a hip hop enthusiast in my office that he’s no Chuck D.
I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of Skills Canada Yukon and Yukon Women in Trades and Technology. As a tradesperson, I am honoured to be associated with both of them and to be able to stand up in the Legislature and pay tribute to the work they do.
I’m looking forward to the Young Women Exploring Trades workshops on November 26 and the fundraiser that will follow after that. I also would like take the time — because I haven’t had the opportunity — to acknowledge the outstanding work of the Skills Canada team that went to Waterloo earlier this year.
They were Whitehorse’s Nathan Peterson, who took a gold in heavy-duty mechanics; Dawson City’s Greg Fischer, who won a bronze in small-engine repair; Molly Jenney, who became the first female Yukoner to medal in 2009 and took a second in the sheet metal category. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I’ve had the pleasure to work with Molly, with the tools in the shop. I admire her for her dedication to the trade, her dedication to her fellow workers and to doing a good job and taking pride in the work that she does.
As well, Whitehorse’s Dennis Godin won the Yukon’s first gold medal last year and took a silver this time around in the mechanical category; Tyler Martin won a silver in electrical wiring; and first-time competitor Jodie Thompson won a bronze in graphic design in the post-secondary level.
Yukon’s team won six medals and we’re very proud of all of their efforts. There are a lot of statistics out there about the value of skilled trades and the problems that are on the horizon with the shortage of skilled workers to fill those positions.
I’d just like to conclude my remarks with a quote I read in The Globe and Mail today from Thomas Hurka, who has written a book called The Best Things in Life: A Guide to What Really Matters. This is what he said: “If you ask what are the things that make life worthwhile, one of them is pleasure, satisfaction, feeling good. But another one is achievement. If you have work that is challenging and calls on your abilities, and then you succeed at it, that’s worthwhile in itself. So it’s a mistake to talk about work versus your life – work is a valuable element in your life.”
All tradespeople and those active in skills clubs know this feeling of achievement. As a tradesperson, I certainly know that. I think that’s what is a big attraction to enticing young people to get into those trades positions and explore the possibilities.
I rise on behalf of the New Democratic caucus and the Official Opposition to pay tribute to pay tribute to November as Women Abuse Prevention Month.
As we mark this month each year, we continue to be shocked by the statistics reporting abuse of women by men. It occurs in epidemic proportions in Canada. One-half of all Canadian women have experienced at least one incidence of violence since the age of 16. One-quarter of all women have experienced violence from current or past marital partners. Violence by men known to them is reported by women in about half the cases. Three times as many aboriginal women suffer from spousal assault than non-aboriginal women. The western and northern regions of Canada have far higher rates of abuse of women than the rest of Canada.
Abuse and assault of women continues from generation to generation as children learn when they are young that it is acceptable. Other lessons a child learns is that life is unpredictable and dangerous, that violence is a way to solve problems, and that women are less valued in our society. Many times these children blame themselves and become guilt-ridden and passive or may act out aggressively. These roles can continue into adulthood.
It’s kind of fitting talking about this because not only is it Women Abuse Prevention Month, but it’s also Family Violence Prevention Month as well and oftentimes that’s how this is perpetuated — by examples set within families.
There are many myths about abusive women. After a violent episode a man may justify his actions by saying he was drunk and so had no control over his actions. However, research shows that a person who is drunk to a point of blacking out cannot perform a behaviour that they have not performed in the past. They are not able to enact new or unlearned behaviour unless they are conscious of their actions. It is merely an excuse to avoid taking responsibility.
Another myth is that women often provoke assaults and deserve what they get, but when a man is inclined to be violent, there is no behaviour or response a woman can use to prevent or stop his abuse. Violence is a tool that men use to control and overpower women. It is not because it is deserved for some action by a woman.
One of the most persistent myths about women abuse is that women will remain in abusive relationships because they want to stay. There are many reasons why a woman doesn’t leave an abusive relationship, including the fact that she may depend on her spouse for money, a common means of control by men.
Some may hope the relationship will get better or not want to break up the family. She is usually isolated from family and friends who can help her leave. She may feel ashamed or blame herself for the abuse. Most women justifiably fear for their own and their children’s safety if they leave. Her partner may have threatened to harm her or the children, and many murders of women are after they have left home. It is the result of the anger a man feels when he has lost power and control of his spouse.
All of this is unacceptable, and I concur with the minister that it is up to men to model good behaviour and to stand up — for all of us to stand up and say, “Enough is enough,” and that it can’t continue.
The complexity of social and economic, judicial and emotional events and the causes that surround an act of violence, are not straightforward. Working with abused women is not an easy thing to do, and we salute those professionals and volunteers, and those who are standing up to violence, those who are working in our transition homes, the addictions treatment services, and the counselling positions dealing with abused and assaulted women. Thank you for your devotion to the safety of women. We also praise those many families who are living examples of homes that are safe for the women and children in them.
On behalf of the House, I rise today to pay tribute to Spirit Day. Today, October 20, has been set aside as a day to wear purple and honour the memory of seven gay youth who committed suicide in recent months. Purple represents spirit on the rainbow flag flown by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. There have been many tributes in this House about the issue of bullying. There was Be the Change and cyber bullying.
The bullying of LGBT youth in schools and communities has led to the most tragic of outcomes, where a young person takes their own life. One such person was Tyler Clemente. Tyler jumped off a bridge and died after webcam footage of his sexual encounters were streamed across his university campus.
The organizer of Spirit Day, who is a Canadian named Brittany McMillan, had this to say — it was basically a plea to those victims of bullying and torment: “Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality.”
This year a survey of 7,261 students in the United States found that nine out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school. This survey found that nearly two-thirds of the students felt unsafe because of their sexual orientation and nearly one-third of LGBT students skipped at least one day of school in the past month because of concern for their own safety.
So, on October 20, we symbolically wear purple, and we remember and reflect on the lives lost due to homophobic bullying. Wearing purple, on its own, won’t change anything at all, but it promotes solidarity and awareness and it opens the conversation. This is a day about raising awareness of problems that arise from bullying based on sexual orientation.
It is a call to action to all of us. Our society needs to become not just tolerant, but accepting of all people. We need to personally stand up and challenge all those who exploit and perpetuate anti-gay prejudice. We need to make our schools, our workplaces, our homes and our communities more accepting of people and less tolerant of bullying and prejudice.
I’d like to thank the Yukon Employees Union for bringing this day to our attention. The labour movement in Canada has a strong history of promoting equity and fighting discrimination and prejudice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise on behalf of the NDP caucus and other caucuses as well, if they so choose, to pay tribute to International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which is marked on October 17, this Sunday.
The Commissioner’s proclamation announcing this as Poverty and Homelessness Action Week admits that poverty and homelessness is prevalent in the Yukon. It goes on to state that the health and welfare of many Yukoners are impacted by the dominance of poverty in their lives.
What we need to take from this week’s proclamation is the word “action” that is part of the proclamation. It is time to be serious, to take sincere measures to actually alleviate the conditions that cause poverty and homelessness, not just to talk about it and to study it some more, not just to make proclamations and speeches.
The amount of poverty in Canada is a disgrace, particularly for our children. The poor and the working poor in our territory do not have the tools for their full participation in society. They have problems with health and they are overrepresented in the justice system. The working poor are in the lowest paid and most insecure jobs and have twice the average rate of unemployment.
Because of the cost of childcare responsibilities and transportation, women are often marginalized by having to stay home and are not able to attend training, full-time work or social events that would broaden their lives. The amount of social housing available at reasonable rent right now is close to nothing, causing people to have to live on the streets.
All of these conditions have tremendously negative effects on our children’s health and welfare. The cycle of poverty, violence, addictions and crime is thus perpetuated through generations. It costs Yukon society valuable lives that could have been contributing to the general social wellness of all of us.
The financial investment made by taxpayers in social programs, in the belief that it will change poverty and homelessness, is almost totally wasted. Patchwork programs of government and non-government organizations attempting to alleviate poverty are not successful enough. If they were, we wouldn’t be bringing poverty and homelessness to everyone’s attention this week. We wouldn’t be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars talking about social inclusion.
Many of these programs blame the victims of our economic system, rather than taking the courage to change things. Charities such as food banks and soup kitchens are symbols of our society’s failure. They don’t change things; they keep the poor where they are. All they really do is make us, here, who do the giving, feel a little better. They make us feel like we’re doing something, but we’re not solving the problem.
One of the main threads that can be traced through all the conditions of poverty is the lack of literacy. This week we were asked in the House to celebrate the high rate of literacy in the Yukon. It is true that 33 percent of the Yukon’s population scored in the lower levels of the international adult literacy skills survey in 2005, while the average across Canada was 48 percent. However, I was dismayed to listen to this statistic being used to make ourselves look good. The survey the government refers to is misleading. It is also detrimental since it leads to complacency about funding literacy. The survey did not gather data from rural communities, or from adults whose first language was neither French nor English. In other words, the respondents in the Yukon were from Whitehorse, where there is a high concentration of highly educated professionals. This distorts the statistics to the point of unreliability. A more recent statistic and analysis shows that the rate of literacy is much lower in rural Yukon, and they were not even considered in the five-year-old survey, as if they did not exist.
Poverty is intertwined with low literacy levels. If we are to act honestly on the very serious problems of poverty, we must invest in education at the levels where it is needed the most. We must invest in adults who are not able to participate in society because of conditions beyond their capacity to change. One of the most important ways to act on poverty and the lack of literacy is to ensure that we have a truly lifelong education system that includes everyone. To eradicate poverty, we need to understand that it is a condition of our capitalist economy that needs transforming.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the New Democrat caucus and the Official Opposition to pay tribute to Mental Illness Awareness Week. Depending upon whom you listen to, between one-third and half of us will experience a mental health disorder at some point in our lives, yet most of us struggle to know what to do when our family, our friends or our work colleagues struggle with mental illness.
We have talked a lot about social inclusion in the Legislative Assembly, and often those suffering with mental illness are stigmatized, and truly, we need to all work together here in the Legislature and as a society to reduce discrimination against those with mental health disorders if we are truly to become a socially inclusive society.
I’d like to take the opportunity to thank NGOs like the Second Opinion Society that provides an important advocacy in support work for people suffering from mental illness. They provide support to families and their friends who need assistance in dealing with their family members.
As the minister mentioned, there’s a new venture in the Yukon called Bridges Café, which is a new social enterprise that provides employment for people who have mental health challenges. Bridges Café is now open weekdays for lunch at the Frank Slim Building at Shipyards Park. It’s great to see this kind of programming in the Yukon, and I would encourage all to support this initiative. I’d also like to take this time to express many thanks to all the volunteers and the professionals who work on the front line to assist those afflicted with mental illness and who educate the public about what suffering and living with a mental illness is all about. Many thanks to those people. They are a great assistance to our society.
I rise on behalf of the Legislative Assembly to pay tribute to Right to Know Week, which will continue from today until October 1. Right to Know is celebrated around the world. It began in 2002, at a meeting in Bulgaria, of access-to-information advocates who proposed that a day be set aside dedicated to the promotion of freedom of information worldwide. In Canada, the federal government operates under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
In addition, every provincial and territorial jurisdiction in Canada has its own legislation to provide access to information and protection against unauthorized use of citizens’ personal information. In the Yukon, we’re all familiar with our own Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, or ATIPP, especially on this side of the House.
Governments are the custodian of the public’s information. Details produced in the process of governing belong to the public, whom the government serves. Calls for greater accountability and transparency have put pressure on governments to change perspectives and practices to facilitate disclosure.
At the same time, citizens’ right of access to information, while protecting their privacy, is a fine balance.
In a democracy, access to complete information allows the public to evaluate the government’s practices and policies. Citizens can participate more meaningfully in the democratic process with reliable information. This is a value that needs to underline all requests for access to information. The right to know should be a first consideration when governments receive requests for information.
Objections to full disclosure of information are rooted in the need for security, protection of commercial competition and the danger of injuring a third party. Courts are presently dealing with the problem of journalists whose integrity and trusts are being questioned because of requests for disclosure of contacts who have been assured of anonymity. These are not easy dilemmas to solve, but the choice should be about the right to know as a priority.
Some progress has been made in opening channels and details of information by governments by using proactive disclosure, by giving information before it is asked for. This is becoming more routine as information technology increases access to all kinds of information. Some areas of data that are accessible this way are the expenses of officials and elected members, issuing of contracts, reclassification of public service positions, and grant and contribution awards. Proactive disclosure presents an interesting avenue for responding to the right to know.
Open government affords public institutions the opportunity to directly engage the public in their practice. It supports the renewal of the social contract between government and its citizens. At all levels of government we should commit ourselves to full participation of our citizens in the right to know.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the New Democratic Party caucus, I rise today to pay tribute to our leader, our colleague, our friend, Todd Hardy, the former MLA for Whitehorse Centre who I am sad to report left us a few weeks ago, this past July.
Todd remains close in our thoughts and in our hearts. Mr. Speaker, would you please join me in asking all other members in the House to recognize the members of Todd’s family: Louise Hardy, our former Member of Parliament; her daughter Janelle, with her daughter Ellazora; and her son Tytus and his fiancée Rosemary. Unable to be with us today are Todd’s son Lymond and their daughter Tess. I’d also like to welcome the other many friends and constituents of Todd who are here in the House today and thank them for joining us.
No one man can sum up another’s life in the few moments that make up a brief tribute. I am grateful that much has already been said publicly by the media and by Todd’s many friends and colleagues so that others can come to know who Todd really was.
When I think of Todd, I remember the man whose experience as a carpenter, as a brother in the labour movement, and finally, in politics gave him a deep understanding of the everyday struggles of Yukoners. I believe that it contributed to his ability to transcend social and economic barriers and to reach out and connect with people from all walks of life.
Todd lived by and taught others, including myself, the words of James Shaver Woodsworth: “We are thankful for these and all the good things of life. We recognize that they are a part of our common heritage and come to us through the efforts of our brothers and sisters the world over. What we desire for ourselves, we wish for all. To this end, may we take our share in the world’s work and the world’s struggles.”
Those of us in his office who worked closely with Todd in the day-to-day of his political life would like to share what we knew about his commitment to life in politics. We knew his dedication to his family to be absolute. We knew he had a commitment to give to his community. He did not know how to live life any other way. Todd approached the business of the Legislature thoughtfully and compassionately.
Todd was a voice for those in need. In the House he was at his best when putting forward motions or questions about poverty, social assistance, the minimum wage, health care, child welfare, addictions, seniors and housing issues. He did not hesitate to bring to the House his insight into the big picture.
He was not afraid to raise national and international issues such as world peace, nuclear disarmament, global warming, refugees and literacy. He could always capably draw the analogy that made those issues relevant to us here in the Yukon.
He had an oversight of the workings of the House that is rare and it survives in his bill for legislative reform. He taught us that politics can be done differently, that confrontation is not our purpose. He encouraged us to propose solutions, rather than to attack and criticize. He wanted us to offer constructive ideas, and because of this, many of his ideas have seen fruition in legislation and policy. He had a desire and an ability to work together outside the oppositional nature of this House. He preferred us to focus on the issue, the policy, the purpose of our work, rather than succumb to personal attacks in the Legislature.
His first approach was often quiet, thoughtful and cooperative, but when the day’s proceedings revealed hypocrisy or prejudice, or ignored the rights of the less fortunate, his voice was strong and his anger and frustration were obvious to all of us.
In his last few weeks, I had the opportunity to sit with Todd and talk with him. One day we talked about important things that are necessary for politicians to do their job, and we talked about the need for truth, integrity and compassion. Todd was all of those things. He taught me a lot about all those things.
We will remember that Todd never stopped working, even when his illness took its toll. Todd led the last election campaign from a hospital bed in Vancouver, suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy and invasive medical procedures that we knew were causing him tremendous discomfort and pain.
Working steadily throughout, he would finally lead caucuses by telephone, even in his last few weeks. I’ll breach confidentiality to tell you that Todd’s caucuses were predictably unpredictable. He would come in and announce that we would all listen to a poem that had captured his attention. It was always a very thoughtful poem, perhaps written by Pablo Neruda or a local poet, and he would then set a calming tone to what often became a very noisy meeting.
At one special caucus meeting that coincided with his birthday, each person in caucus wrote a poem and read it to him, and I think that that was something that he remembered very much with affection. At another caucus, Todd would begin in silence, appearing to be somewhere else, allowing all others to speak and debate the debate, to marshal back and forth, while Todd sat silently overbuttering a piece of muffin, and he loved butter. To Todd, bread or muffins or scones were merely a delivery vehicle for that lovely yellow stuff. Then when the talk had gone around and around, Todd would finally speak, perhaps a couple of sentences, that would end the discussion and leave heads nodding in agreement. He did not achieve this by force or by power of authority, but by common sense.
Todd could play the devil’s advocate with the best of them, poking and prodding, sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully, challenging everybody around the table. He wanted us to step down from preconceived notions and entrenched positions to see things from different angles. He could be difficult, requesting changes to questions or motions at the last minute before going into the Legislature, sending the staff running to the computer and the photocopier, and then, finally standing in the Legislature, he would sometimes disregard the paper in his hand and speak eloquently, saying it better than what had taken most of the morning’s work to produce.
Todd was a great role model. He said what he believed, and he believed what he said, which is something we want from all politicians. His standards were high, both for himself and for us. His work ethic was extraordinary, and he expected the same. Todd never let what the media was broadcasting and writing influence his politics. He spoke against ambulance-chasing and encouraged all of us to speak to issues that were on our constituents’ minds, rather than what was the current theme.
He always asked us: “What are the people saying?” and would remind us that we were doing this for the people.
Another thing Todd used to always say was, “When we’re in here, it’s not necessarily about talking to each other or at each other. It’s about talking to the people. We are trying to get our message to the people.”
Glimpses into Todd’s personal life left us knowing that he had eclectic interests, ranging from playing and listening to music, reading fiction and political books, to woodworking, team sports and martial arts. He loved flowers and dogs. He especially loved raising his Newfoundland dogs and reported regularly on their progress to us in the office.
His granddaughter Ellazora was one of the greatest joys in his life; his sons and daughters, his greatest support; his wife was his soul mate; his mother, he loved greatly, and his friends, he cherished a great deal.
Another thing I remember — I think it was toward the end of the last sitting, and we were just getting ready to go into the House and the phone rang. I picked it up, and it was for Todd, and it was, “Well, we’re going into the House pretty quick.” It was Todd’s mom phoning to wish him well that day. They talked regularly. He had a good relationship with his mom and he loved her dearly.
The practise of Buddhism was central to his life, and he found happiness often aided by a sense of humour that got stronger as his health worsened. He was a lover of traditions. In a winter newsletter to his constituents, he declared that he believed in Santa Claus — and he did. He loved April Fools’ Day. The concept of duping and deflating folks who took themselves a wee bit too seriously was tempting to him. He was into it — not just for the jokes, but because of the place in its pantheon of human traditions and the universality of it all. April Fools’ became an NDP tradition that was inaugurated by Todd. Every year, it was a challenge to write an April Fools’ Day motion, and we looked forward to it greatly. One year, the motion was about administering lie detector tests on MLAs. Another year, it was to abolish party politics in the Yukon.
And when Sarah Palin rose to prominence as a vice-presidential candidate, Todd suggested in an April Fools’ Day motion that the Yukon health care review invite her as an advisor, given her vast experiences with our socialized medical system.
The staff would eagerly await reports from Todd about MLAs who had gotten taken in and had not remembered the day. As I recall, over the years, I heard about a few media who came rushing into the office, looking for clarification on our April Fools’ Day motions. Someone in the office made a suggestion that we come clean and announce it was all a joke — April Fools’. This, however, was sternly rebuked by Todd. After all, to do so was a betrayal of the spirit of irony and the great day of April Fools’.
Our memories of his final struggle and his courage and the forthright approach to his own death were an amazing lesson for all of us. On behalf of the staff, I would like to ask you to remember Todd as we think he would have asked — a gentle soul, who loved his family, his colleagues and his Yukon with all his heart, and who gave everything to leave a better world behind for us.
No one man can sum up another’s contribution to politics in a brief tribute, but in the words chosen by one woman, his wife Louise, I felt Todd’s commitment was best expressed, as she quoted from one of Todd’s Zen lessons: “When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”
On behalf of our party and our office, I would like to thank Todd’s family for sharing so much of his time with us. It was for a good cause.
I rise on behalf of the New Democratic caucus to pay tribute on this 21st day of September to the International Day of Peace. The celebration of this day is a worldwide call for global ceasefire and non-violence. The International Day of Peace was established by the UN General Assembly in 1981. It is dedicated to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace within and among nations and people.
It is especially important for humanity to pause and consider the objective of a peaceful world in these days of accelerated armed conflicts and possible nuclear devastation. The dangers and costs of the escalation of present warfare and terrorism around the globe make it imperative to raise awareness about disarmament, non-proliferation of weapons and the cessation of all kinds of violence.
We cannot lull ourselves into thinking that it is not we who are doing harm, but it is those others who are far away and not as civilized or compassionate as we are. We are very much involved in the production and selling of arms with our own Canada Pension Plan investments. For-profit motives have quietly endorsed the invasion of other countries and the killing of innocent populations, such as in Honduras and Gaza. We make trade agreements and support armed conflicts in oppressive regimes in Central and South America so they can continue in power with impunity, and we are, sadly, not even immune to going to war.
Our peacekeeping days are, sadly, in the distant past as we kill and we die in Afghanistan.
Martin Luther King Jr. said that “peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but it is a means by which we arrive at that goal.” In other words, to gain peace, we must practise it in our daily lives and in our professional and political endeavoUrs. Being peaceful is not an easy thing to do, but when we see countries and multinational corporations that profit from war and state terrorism, from oppression and from torture and from the environmental destruction in the name of progress, we must withdraw from supporting them and make a clear statement of objection.
The Canadian Department of Peace Initiative, or CDPI, is one route to becoming a more peaceful nation. The CDPI is committed to the establishment of a cabinet-level minister of peace and department of peace within the Government of Canada, as other countries have done. In support of this initiative, there are now chapters in most major cities across Canada and it has obtained the endorsement of many prominent individuals. There is a chapter here in Whitehorse.
With the present atmosphere in the world of violent conflict and terrorism, it is urgent that this initiative be endorsed and promoted. We urge individual members in this government to do so by supporting and establishing activities and research that promote a culture of peace and assertive non-violence in Canada and around the globe — we will help create a more peaceful world. It is an ongoing and a long-term process, but it can turn the tide of peace in our generation if we want it to.