CHPC Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 60

Tuesday, November 1, 2005

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage met at 11:07 a.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, Marlene Catterall, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Gord Brown, Hon. Sarmite Bulte, Marlene Catterall, Maka Kotto, Bev Oda, Yasmin Ratansi, Gary Schellenberger, Mario Silva and Scott Simms.

Acting Members present: Libby Davies for Charlie Angus and Meili Faille for Sébastien Gagnon.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Sam Banks, Analyst . House of Commons: Joann Garbig, Legislative Clerk ; Wayne Cole, Legislative Clerk.

Witnesses: Department of Canadian Heritage: Michel Francoeur, General Counsel and Director, Legal Services; Kristina Namiesniowski, Director General, Multiculturalism and Human Rights.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Thursday, March 24, 2005, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-331, Ukrainian Canadian Restitution Act.

The witnesses answered questions.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of Clause 1 and the Preambule were postponed.

On motion of Sarmite Bulte, it was agreed, — That Bill C-331 be amended by adding after line 15 on page 1 the following new clause:

“1.1 The Government of Canada shall undertake negotiations with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko towards an agreement concerning measures that may be taken to recognize the internment of persons of Ukrainian origin in Canada during the First World War.”

Clause 1.1 carried.

Clause 2 was negatived.

Sarmite Bulte moved, — That Bill C-331 be amended by adding after line 18 on page 2 the following new clause:

“2.1 The measures shall have as their objective a better public understanding of

(a) the consequences of ethnic, religious or racial intolerance and discrimination; and

(b) the important role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the respect and promotion of the values it reflects and the rights and freedoms it guarantees.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sarmite Bulte and it was agreed to on division.

Clause 2.1 carried on division.

On motion of Sarmite Bulte, it was agreed, — That Bill C-331 be amended by adding after line 18 on page 2 the following new clause:

“2.2 The measures may include the installation of commemorative plaques at certain places where persons of Ukrainian origin were interned in Canada during the First World War.”

Clause 2.2 carried.

Sarmite Bulte moved, — That Bill C-331, in Clause 3, be amended by replacing line 19 on page 2 to line 4 on page 3 with the following:

“3. The measures may also include the following public education measures:

(a) the exhibition of information concerning internment camps and the contribution made by persons of Ukrainian origin to the development of Canada; and

(b) the preparation of related educational materials.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sarmite Bulte and it was agreed to.

Clause 3, as amended, carried.

On motion of Sarmite Bulte, it was agreed, — That Bill C-331, in Clause 4, be amended by replacing lines 5 to 10 on page 3 with the following:

“4. The Government of Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko may request the Canada Post Corporation to issue a commemorative stamp or set of stamps.”

Clause 4, as amended, carried.

On motion of Sarmite Bulte, it was agreed, — That Bill C-331 be amended by adding after line 10 on page 3 the following new clause:

“4.1 The Government of Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko may consider any other measure that promotes the objective described in section 2.1. ”

Clause 4.1 carried.

Clause 5 was negatived.

Sarmite Bulte moved, — That Bill C-331 be amended by adding after line 18 on page 3 the following new clause:

“6. Negotiations undertaken pursuant to section 1.1 shall not be interpreted as constituting an admission by Her Majesty in right of Canada of the existence of any legal obligation of Her Majesty in right of Canada to any person. ”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sarmite Bulte and it was agreed to.

Clause 6 carried.

On motion of Sarmite Bulte, it was agreed, — That Bill C-331, in Clause 1, be amended by replacing lines 14 and 15 on page 1 with the following:

“1. This Act may be cited as the Internment of Persons of Ukrainian Origin Recognition Act.”

The Short Title, as amended, carried.

On motion of Sarmite Bulte, it was agreed, — That Bill C-331, in the preamble, be amended by replacing lines 1 to 9 on page 1 with the following:

“WHEREAS, during the First World War, persons of Ukrainian origin were interned in Canada under the authority of an Act of Parliament;

WHEREAS Parliament wishes to express its deep sorrow for those events;

AND WHEREAS Parliament acknowledges that those events are deserving of recognition through public education and the promotion of the shared values of multiculturalism, inclusion and mutual respect;”

The Preamble, as amended, carried.

Sarmite Bulte moved, — That Bill C-331 be amended by replacing the long title with the following:

“An Act to acknowledge that persons of Ukrainian origin were interned in Canada during the First World War and to provide for recognition of this event”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sarmite Bulte and it was agreed to on division.

The Title, as amended, carried on division.

The Bill, as amended, carried.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill, as amended, to the House.

ORDERED, — That Bill C-331, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House at report stage.

At 12:07 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:12 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Monday, April 18, 2005, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-333,Chinese Canadian Recognition and Redress Act.

The witnesses answered questions.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of Clause 1 and the Preambule were postponed.

By unanimous consent, Clause 1.1 was allowed to stand.

Sarmite Bulte moved, — That Bill C-333, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 1 to 4 on page 2 with the following:

“1.1 The Government of Canada shall undertake negotiations with the National Congress of Chinese Canadians towards an agreement concerning measures that may be taken to recognize the imposition of exclusionary measures on immigrants of Chinese origin from 1885 to 1947.”

Libby Davies moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding after the word “National Congress of Chinese Canadians” the following:

“, the Chinese Canadian National Council and other representative groups ”

The question was put on the subamendment of Libby Davies and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Meili Faille, Maka Kotto — 3; NAYS : Gord Brown, Sarmite Bulte, Bev Oda, Yasmin Ratansi, Gary Schellenberger, Mario Silva, Scott Simms — 7.

Libby Davies moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the word “imposition ” with the word “impact ”

The question was put on the subamendment of Libby Davies and it was negatived.

Libby Davies moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding the following:

“4. (1) The Minister of Canadian Heritage, in cooperation with the Minister of Finance, shall negotiate with those persons who paid a head tax, or with their families or designated representatives, a suitable payment in restitution for the collection of money from Chinese immigrants as head tax, to be”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sarmite Bulte and it was agreed to.

Clause 2 was negatived.

Sarmite Bulte moved, — That Bill C-333, in Clause 3, be amended by replacing lines 5 to 12 on page 2 with the following:

“3. The measures shall have as their objective a better public understanding of

(a) the consequences of ethnic, religious or racial intolerance and discrimination; and

(b) the important role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the respect and promotion of the values it reflects and the rights and freedoms it guarantees.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sarmite Bulte and it was agreed to.

Clause 3 was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Meili Faille, Maka Kotto — 3; NAYS: Gord Brown, Sarmite Bulte, Bev Oda, Yasmin Ratansi, Gary Schellenberger, Mario Silva, Scott Simms — 7.

At 12:59 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Jacques Lahaie
Clerk of the Committee

2005/11/07 10:59 a.m.