Canada wishes to take this opportunity to congratulate Sweden on their initiative in convening this Forum. It is highly appropriate that the first major international conference of the new millennium should focus on ensuring, through education, remembrance and research, that the sins of the past century should never be repeated.

The Canadian delegation endorses wholeheartedly the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust.

The examination of racism, prejudice and antisemitism offers a dynamic framework for examining history and human behaviour in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry. Teaching responsible citizenship by studying the historical development and lessons of the Holocaust will enable us all to more clearly see the essential connection between history and the moral choices that confront our own lives. Through an examination of the events that led to the Holocaust, an event unprecedented in history, we come to understand that all events are the result of choices made by countless individuals and groups. Even the smallest of those decisions may have profound consequences that affect generations to come.

Multiculturalism is a fundamental characteristic of Canadian society. Canada values the contribution made by each of our many ethnic, cultural and faith communities. The Government is committed to fostering a society that recognizes, respects and reflects a diversity of cultures, such that people of all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging and attachment to Canada.

Canada is a signatory to the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Canada’s annual national anti-racism initiative organized around March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, engages educators and youth in efforts to combat racism and all forms of discrimination. As important as these initiatives are in establishing public commitment, signatures, declarations and commemorations are not enough.

In 1987, Canada enacted legislation to bring fugitive war criminals to justice. The Supreme Court of Canada rendered the criminal legislation inoperative in the case of Imre Finta in 1994. Because of the Finta decision, Canada switched from attempting to prosecute fugitive Nazi war criminals in Canada to attempting to revoke their citizenship and deport them. Just this past fall, the Government introduced amending legislation into Parliament to overcome the effects of the Finta decision, and make Canadian war criminals legislation effective.

In affirming another lesson of the Holocaust, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the hate propaganda sections of our criminal code as consistent with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and in the interest of preserving a free and democratic society. And we have recently passed amendments to the criminal code requiring sentencing enhancement for hate-motivated crime. This is sending a strong message that crimes motivated by hatred on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation – indeed all the prohibited grounds of discrimination in our human rights codes – will be treated more severely by the criminal justice system.

To address the increase in hate group recruitment and neo-Nazi ideology and Holocaust denial on the Internet, Canada has supported international symposia on Hate on the Internet. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage will be reporting by mid-June, 2000 its findings on the most appropriate Canadian commemoration of crimes against humanity. Several Canadian provinces have already officially declared Yom HaShoah, according to the Jewish calendar, to be commemorated as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Government of Canada honoured 50 Holocaust survivors in the Canadian Parliament. The ceremony, entitled Zachor – We Remember, symbolically honoured them as representatives of the outstanding contributions survivors have made to Canadian society in all walks of life.
Through our written contributions and oral participation, the Canadian delegation has sought to provide others attending this forum with the benefit of our experience in Holocaust education and research across the country. Our delegation consists of scholars, survivors, government and non-governmental representatives that we trust have contributed to this important discussion. We have also benefited from the insights offered by our international colleagues.

We are committed, as are all of the countries attending this forum, to promoting Holocaust education, remembrance and research. There are several outstanding initiatives ongoing across our country. This year Canada will help support a systematic study of Holocaust education in our ten provinces and three territories to identify best practices and enhance curriculum development. This study and collection of educational materials will contribute to the International Directory of Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research describing initiatives underway worldwide.

It is too late for the many who died, but we can provide a small measure of justice to their memory and to the survivors. We will do that by telling not only how they perished but also by celebrating their achievements and the dignity of their lives. Through education, remembrance and research, we can strive to ensure that future generations will neither be perpetrators nor victims of human rights abuses. And we will make every effort to ensure that neither we, nor our children, will ever again be bystanders to crimes against humanity at home or abroad.