EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
If they felt the Human Rights Act was as important as the Elections Act they would have gone out and consulted properly.
The people that came here today from the Iqaluit community were all shocked and came out to say we do not understand what you are trying to do.
And I said, no there were 15 people in a public meeting.
How many people do we have in Iqaluit? About 5 thousand, 6 thousand, 15 people from that community that came out and I said we did not know about it.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, Ed Horn has destroyed many lives.
Ed Horn is known by many people in Nunavut.
Ed Horn destroyed many young minds, so many young minds because he went to different communities and he abused boys.
If we had seen what was happening, would we accept it?
Are we talking about, if we cannot like, if we accept what he did, then it is not right.
There have been many young men that committed suicide that were abused by Ed Horn.
That is why I cannot accept the wording sexual orientation in this Bill.
The Status of Women Council had a meeting in Iqaluit and I know all of them and I know who they are and I have spoken to them all.
When they were trying to voice their opinions on this Bill, they too were told we should not be talking like that.
By the staff and they were not told to talk about against the Bill.
They were given scare tactics, elders, women.
They were scared and they were given a letter saying that if you are going to oppose the gays and lesbians, you cannot be a Board.
That is the kind of letter that they got.
Who has more say?
Do the gays and lesbians?
Not us?
We welcome everybody.
They have their own house; minorities have more rights than the Inuit of Nunavut.
They have 100 percent of everything.
They have all kinds of rights; they are not scared.
They have all kinds of jobs that they want.
You do not understand this anymore because that is all we hear because we are saying that we do not understand this; we are going to not approve this.
It is like we do not have our own minds.
We understand exactly what the Bill is all about.
Are we going to change the laws of God? Are we going to accept the same sex marriages and give it a blessing?
I do not think that we are going to change the laws of the Bible.
There are many people in Nunavut who have their lives destroyed by being abused by those individuals that abused them sexually, by a man.
Those are teachers who they trusted who abused those men and many of them had committed suicide because they were hurt because it is not their custom; this is sexual orientation.
Mr. Chairman, today, it is scarier to have same sex couples nowadays.
The Human Rights Act is really good, is very understandable and we are just going to put that piece in there to make it right, but what about taking it out and revise it.
Mr. Chairman, maybe because we have not had any lesson or any information about what happens in this world about human rights like sexual orientation and all that stuff, but that is probably why we are rejecting this legislation.
If it was our way of doing things, then probably we would accept those gays and lesbian couples.
Mr. Chairman, in my community, I have heard them talk about this on the radio and I gave them information on the radio.
I also visited the elders’ homes to talk to them about the Human Rights Act, but I did not talk about same sex orientation.
I just talked about human rights.
But as soon as they hear that part of it, they said no, we do not want to recognize those people and if it is going to be in that legislation, I do not want you to approve the legislation.
That is the way, like, the same sex couples are accepted in Nunavut, but they seem to have a lot more rights than any other human being.
They could say to us, you know, they could say to us, as Members of the Legislature, you have no right to turn this down.
Before the people of Nunavut are consulted on this and I will not approve it and I could tell Ukaliannuk to go and talk to my father on exactly where the Inuit stand on this human rights when it has to do with same sex couples.
Chairman (interpretation): Are we almost done?
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as a Legislative, we all have a responsibility and a duty to pass laws that benefit all Nunavummiut and this Human Rights Act protects all individuals in discriminatory practises; it protects minorities; it protects those who are most vulnerable in society.
No one, I think, opposes the intent of the Bill.
The prohibited grounds of discrimination listed in the Act, discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, ethnic origin, citizenship, place of origin, creed, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, pregnancy, etc.
The real issue before us, Mr. Chairman, is the matter of sexual orientation.
Let us face the facts here.
Remember it is no different than the rest of Canada or the world for that matter.
The issue of same sex relationships is controversial and emotional.
Many Members of this House have strong personal views and beliefs based on their upbringing, based on their religious beliefs, based on directions from their constituents, which we have heard today to oppose anything dealing with same sex relationships or same sex rights and based on this, no debate in this House will change that.
Many of you will put those views aside.
Although I do not agree with that, I do respect that.
It is your prerogative as individual Members to vote with your own conscience or that of your constituents, but I also ask that you respect those views of others and that they are contrary to that such as mine.
My view that as a legislator is our responsibility is to put aside those personal views, put aside the constituency views it when we are dealing with broader fundamental human rights issues such as the Bill that we have before us today.
And Mr. Chairman I’m not an expert on aboriginal rights or discriminatory practices of aboriginal peoples, many of you certainly have experienced that or have more knowledge than I.
I do have some background being of Chinese/Oriental descent growing up as a visible minority in British Columbia.
I am aware of ethnic discrimination practices that has happened in the past and some of those injustices of Chinese in particular, there was a head tax that the Government of Canada imposed to restrict or constrain the immigration of Orientals, and Chinese in particular, that wasn’t put in place for Europeans and the right to vote for Chinese citizens wasn’t until well after they were in the country.
Japanese citizens during the World War in which Japan was a part of, Japanese Canadian citizens were interred, put in jail, and they had their assets seized by the Government of Canada just for being Japanese.
Mr. Chairman the Charter of Rights and Freedoms came in decades after that wouldn’t allow those types of practices to happen today.
Mr. Chairman having said that, let’s not put our heads in the sand and ignore the real issue of fair treatment of all individuals particularly those of same sex orientation.
I have heard comments, excuses that we are not ready for this Bill, there are other priorities, there’s not enough consultation taken place; legitimate or not I guess some Members use those matters.
Bottom line is Mr. Chairman, either you are for or against treating all citizens equally.
Our responsibility is to ensure fair and equal treatment of all members of our society and particularly Mr. Chairman those that are most vulnerable.
Mr. Chairman I will be supporting this Bill.
Next on my list are Mr. Kattuk, Mr. Tootoo and Mr. Picco.
I’ll make my comments brief on this topic regarding Bill that is before us.
I do have some comments to make on it as well.
Perhaps I’ll start with when the government first started coming up north I was also apposed to some foreign practices.
For ten months I was relocated to other communities for further education and because of that I felt it was a mistreatment of our people, on my mother and father, and if we are not going to take ownership of this legislation in Nunavut our children, our grandchildren will be subject to this type of mistreatment that we have felt in the past.
The legislation that we are discussing is to prevent the mistreatment of our people in the future.
My father in front of me was told that if I do not go to school they will not be given the family allowance payment and those were the intimidation tactics that were used and that was mistreatment of our people and that will continue if we do not enact this legislation.
As well, in the Sanikiluaq area, we were relocated to other parts of the island against our will.
We were moved around by the Federal Government and that was gross mistreatment of our people and this will continue if we do not come forth with this Legislation.
But I am proud to say that we are still living on the Belcher Islands regardless of what the Government’s intent was and so, if we do not take ownership of this Legislation in Nunavut, then we will still be subject to the same discrimination and mistreatment.
We as Inuit, even if we do not have laws on paper, we still have ethics and rules to follow by.
With today’s new technologies and new processes, we have to ensure that we have written legislation in all aspects of our lives.
We as Inuit can continue to live without this type of Legislation, but with the changing times, we need this type of legislation for the Government’s conduct and treatment of its people.
What I see with this legislation is that it can only benefit our people and promote protection of their rights.
That is the intent of this Bill.
My Constituents did not understand the intent of the Bill as well because there were two sections regarding the same sex relationships and sexual orientation; it has nothing to do with this Bill.
That is a Federal Government jurisdiction and we, as Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut do not have the authority and jurisdiction over same sex marriages and we should just leave that at that because we have no jurisdiction over it and no matter how we talk about how we oppose same sex relationships and so on, it has no baring on what we are discussing today because we are talking about the protection of Nunavummiut
I keep coming back to it because that is how I understand the Bill and it is meant to benefit and protect the people of Nunavut.
I have grandchildren who are disabled and I want their rights protected by the Government and I do feel that this legislation would do this.
And so, my grandchild would have that protection under this Legislation to ensure she is not treated unfairly because of her disabilities.
And so, with that, I will be supporting this Bill.
I have two people left on my list.
Mr. Tootoo and Mr. Picco.
Mr. Chairman, I am very proud today to be able to speak in support of Bill 12, a Human Rights Act for Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, like all of you, I am sure I was very proud to be elected as a Member of this Legislative Assembly and I take, very seriously, the responsibility to enact Legislation that will benefit equally and fairly, all residents of Nunavut.
And I say that again, enact Legislation that will benefit equally and fairly, all residents of Nunavut, no matter what colour, no matter what color, what background, no matter what religion, no matter what gender and no matter what family status.
Mr. Chairman, the bill before us today speaks directly to that responsibility.
A Human Rights Act for Nunavut would ensure that every Nunavut resident would be entitled to the same level of protection against discrimination as every other resident of Nunavut.
A Human Rights Act for Nunavut would mean that complaints of discrimination would be examined, investigated and resolved within Nunavut, instead of leaving such issues to a federal commission that may or may not have an appreciation for the context in which we live.
That’s an issue that I’ve heard raised over and over again in this House by almost all the Members here.
We want to take care of our own business.
We don’t need to ride on the coattails of Ottawa.
I think we are mature enough, contrary to comments that have been made to deal with such issues.
Mr. Chairman, when we look at the history of nations across the world, there are plenty of examples where minorities were treated badly, sometimes to the point of death by other groups of the same nation who believe that those minorities have less right to life and dignity, based on their ethnicity, based on their color, based on their religion or based on any other aspect of their beings.
Mr. Chairman, the history of the North is no different.
Even today, we continue to hear testimony from individuals, from families, from communities across Nunavut who suffered deeply from the discriminatory practises imposed on them in the not so distant past.
Over the past few decades, efforts have been made across the world to change the situation.
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are good examples of progress made to defend and protect minorities.
To date, every jurisdiction across Canada, with the exception of Nunavut, as has been pointed out by a number of colleagues has enacted human rights legislation that provides some level of protection against discrimination.
Mr. Chairman, without this kind of legislation in place, when my daughter applies for a job in this territory, she could be denied employment based on the simple fact that she is female.
Or let me put it another way, Mr. Chairman, because this legislation is in place in other jurisdictions in Canada, if your child traveled to Ontario, she could not be denied a room in a hotel just because she’s Inuk.
Human rights legislation ensures that we are all treated equally.
Nunavut should not be the only jurisdiction in Canada that allows individuals to be denied accommodations, employment and the provision of goods and services based on discriminatory attitudes about someone’s color, someone’s race or any other aspect of their persons.
Mr. Chairman, I understand that considering this bill raises some uncomfortable issues that each of us must address.
Each of was raised with a set of values, a set of morals and a sense of how we should treat our fellow human beings.
At the same time, each and every one of us has to consider how our role as a legislator and as a representative for the people of Nunavut impacts the lives of the people we represent.
Mr. Chairman, I believe that many of us chose to enter public office because we felt that we could contribute to the process of improving our society.
Part of that process is working towards ensuring that the less fortunate, the minorities, the disenfranchised, are not stepped on, are not forgotten about, are not dropped through the cracks and are not the victims of discriminatory practises.
I think people need to be protected.
The big cause of concern here seems to be the fact that sexual orientation is included as prohibitive grounds of discrimination.
Well, like it or not folks, it exists out there.
This Act, by including it in this Act, that is not saying that this Government is endorsing, or denying, or denouncing any sort of behaviour.
It is accepting the fact that these lifestyles are out there, and these people need to be protected.
Everybody has to be protected and have the same rights as everyone else.
That is what this Act is, and it is not dealing with same sex marriages, it is not dealing with adoptions.
We have heard that over and over again in this House here tonight.
The confusion is being put out there.
I do not know if it intentionally, or maybe people just do not, or will not understand it but it has absolutely nothing to do with same sex marriages, and same sex adoptions.
It has to do with prohibited grounds of discrimination against all Nunavummiut for accommodations, for employment, and for provision of goods and services only.
I know that we have heard comments in here tonight that say, for example, the abuse caused by teachers.
Let us not forget that it was not just the teachers that abused young people.
I think that we all know that it was just more than teachers that abused people out there.
I have also heard the fact that there is no terminology for homosexual.
I was talking to someone and they were telling me that their elder aunt was telling them that there is.
It was a word that they were never supposed to use.
It was a word that even today, she whispers when she says it.
The Committee Members have heard testimony from an elder who said there are legends of a man and a man being together, and a woman and woman being together, but to say that this had never existed before is not exactly accurate either.
What I have seen over the last five years here on a number of occasions is, if we do not agree with something, we are rushing, or it is not Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
This Bill deals with something that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit stands for, as far as I am concerned all people are treated equally.
Why we are here today?
Inuit would not have survived if they did not look after each other, and help each other.
If it was no you are on your own, sorry.
I do not think that we would be here today.
I think that is something that we cannot forget either.
Mr. Chairman, also we have heard that there have been issues around that.
I am sure there is.
Like I said, it exists, and by the simple facts and proof of comments made in this House, that it should be a prohibited grounds of discrimination.
Again that is not condoning or denouncing any type of behaviour.
It is just saying that it is acknowledging the fact that any type of behaviour is out there, and that it cannot be used as a ground for discrimination.
We cannot forget that.
In considering this Bill, I urge my colleagues to keep two important facts in mind, Mr. Chairman. Enacting the Human Rights Act will not give any special privileges to any group, minority, or otherwise.
Enacting a Human Rights Act here in Nunavut does not take away any rights that have been assigned to Inuit through the Land Claims Agreement.
Mr. Chairman, I would conclude by quoting from a United Nations universal declaration of human rights.
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in the spirit of brotherhood.”
Mr. Chairman, I believe in the principles expressed in these words, and I support of the enacting of a Human Rights Act for Nunavut and urge my colleagues to support this Bill.
Next on my list is Mr. Picco.
Mr. Chairman, this has been great, to hear the debate, to be able to sit here and it is almost déjà vu, I am sure for me and Minister Ng and Minister Thompson because six years ago, almost to the day, this same debate we did in Yellowknife and I remember going in, Mr. Chairman, looking up and the Gallery was packed solid.
A bigger Gallery, I do not know if there were 150 people there and you know something, Mr. Chairman, they did the same thing.
They clapped and they come in and booed depending on what the people said.
When we are Legislators and you are making Legislation, you are elected to represent everyone.
I do not choose my Constituents, whether they are black, whether they are brown, whether they are white, Catholic, Anglican, Pentecost, whatever.
I am responsible to do the very best job that I can, that is what I try to do.
Now, I have a speech here it is like 7 pages long and I would like to just throw it away and say something here for the record.
Seven years ago, I voted for the Same Sex Legislation that we are talking about here and when we are not talking about same sex marriages because that is what people are saying.
This is not about same sex, it is about human rights.
It is not about marriages.
Bishop Andrew Atagutaaluk, people tabled letters here today and over the last few days, tabled document 144-1(6).
Bishop Andrew Atagutaaluk says: ‘Please understand that I do not intend in any way’, Bishop Andrew Atagutaaluk said to put down any individual, Bishop Andrew Atagutaaluk said: ‘We all know that God loves the whole world, all meaning,’ this is his words, ‘meaning all people and creations despite imperfect judging.’
Mr. Chairman, yesterday, my son, who goes to school here in Iqaluit and was born and raised in Iqaluit and he is a beneficiary under the Land Claims said, Ed, to his dad, and he did not call me dad, I answered, you call me dad, you treat me with respect and he said, dad, we are doing something on black people.
Is it true dad, in 1968 black people could not go to the same washroom as white people?
Is it true that black people could not get on the buses as the same people, same as white people?
I said, yes, that is true.
He said, what is this about respecting human rights?
Respecting human rights is what we are trying to do today, to respect people’s differences.
Respecting if they have handicaps so that we do not discriminate against them.
That is what human rights is about.
It is not about same sex marriages and I do not know why that keeps coming up because that is not what is in the Bill.
When this Bill was introduced one year ago as Members said, we have not even talked about same sex marriages because that was not even on the floor in this House.
This Bill is about guaranteeing the rights of individuals.
This Bill is about no discrimination.
I read the Bill last night, I read the Bill.
Mr. Nutarak made one of the truest Statement I have ever heard anyone say in this House.
I have not read the Bill; I am only basing what I have heard from people.
I read the Bill last night, the legislation.
There is nothing there about same sex marriages.
There is nothing there about that.
It is about making sure people are not discriminated against because of their religion, because of their colour, because of handicap, because of their sexual orientation.
That is human rights.
Now, let me give you another example, Mr. Chairman.
As Minister of Health, I know that we send hundreds, hundreds of Inuit, Nunavut residents to the south every single day for hospital treatment.
When they go to Ottawa, the doctor does not say, excuse me, you are not from Ontario, you are not from Ottawa and you go to the end of the line.
Sorry, you are not going to be taken care of.
They could not do that, you know why?
Because in Ontario, they have a Human Rights Legislation; people should be treated properly and fairly and honestly.
That is what Human Rights Legislation does, is it ensures that people should not be discriminated against.
Right now if someone tells me they’re being discriminated against, the only opportunity they would have is to appeal to the federal law.
The federal law would have to go to the Supreme Court.
It could be costly and so on.
And it wouldn’t involve or include Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in it.
The framework has ensured that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit would be involved in the Bill.
One of the things we talked about here, Mr. Chairman, is respect, respect for different people’s ideas and views.
I respect your views and I respect the views of the other Members here.
We’re all elected to represent the views of our constituents and to make sure that we do the very best that we can do as I did seven years ago and I will do today to support legislation that enacts and supports people’s rights.
That’s what we’re talking about here today and that’s what I would do and that’s something that I am proud to say.
I wasn’t born in Nunavut Mr. Chairman, but Nunavut is my home.
My children were born here and I have chosen to raise a family here.
I want to ensure that at the end of the day, Mr. Chairman, that people are treated equally and fairly.
Quickly Mr. Chairman, just to wrap up, we passed tobacco legislation over the last 24 hours in this House.
There was a lot of opposition from bar owners, people who go to bars because they wanted to be able to smoke.
Just because they were against it, didn’t make it right.
Just because 30 years ago black people couldn’t get on busses and trains, didn’t make it right.
They were being discriminated against because of their color.
Mr. Chairman, I would suggest to you that at the end of the day, I wasn’t elected to judge someone’s lifestyle choice; I was elected to pass legislation that would enhance and help people.