Committee work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOTE TO NEW MINISTER: STAND UP AGAINST INJUSTICE
NDP re-states demands for an apology for the “comfort women” of WWII

OTTAWA – NDP critic for Human Rights Wayne Marston (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) wants the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Bernier to start his mandate by addressing the injustice committed against the “comfort women” of China, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, and urge the Japanese government to issue a formal apology to them.

“Bernier has to take up this issue and act immediately,” said Marston. “Sadly, his predecessor did not fulfil Canada’s obligation to stand up and demand a proper apology as well as financial compensation for the years of sexual abuse and torture those women endured. They have waited too long – it’s time the Conservatives address this issue instead of ignoring it.”

At least 200,000 women were lured from their homes and forced to work as prostitutes for the Japanese military during WWII. Japan has never issued a formal apology nor provided official redress to the women.

“Since early spring, I have been working very hard on the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development, petitioning Harper to urge the Japanese government to officially recognize and apologize for this situation,” said Marston.

On March 23rd 2007, a motion was submitted by the NDP calling on the Foreign Affairs Committee to recommend that Canada call for an official apology and redress. The motion was referred back for further study but nothing has come out of it.

“By not addressing this issue, we are denying history and therefore denying justice,” stated Marston. “Harper should have moved on this issue a long time ago, and the NDP will persist in order to obtain an apology for this grave injustice. We hope that Bernier will do the right thing and make this a top priority when he starts his new job.”

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Excerpt from Subcommittee on International Human Rights

Mr. Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP): Part of the reason that I suggested these two witnesses is that I've known both of these gentlemen, I guess, in excess of 20 years and knew that they had a perspective on Cuba that we hadn't heard and I thought it was important to hear.

Turning to our witnesses, the rate of unemployment in Cuba, the testimony said before, is 1.7% and the rest of Latin America runs 20% to 60%. You were speaking of the health of Cubans. The general welfare compared to the rest of Latin America, how would you see that? Have you travelled elsewhere in that balance?

IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

ON THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Mr. Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, sadly, I rise today to follow up on a question I asked in the House before about our manufacturing sector.

Hamilton Speciality Bar is a plant in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek. As it sounds from the name, it is a plant that specializes in auto parts and very high quality workmanship. It will be throwing 300 workers out of work in just a few short weeks. The jobs in this plant were decent, union scale jobs, with good wages for the people to raise their families and purchase properties in our community. Third generation people are working in this plant. They are losing their jobs because the government has failed them.

NDP FIGHTS FOR JAPANESE COMFORT WOMEN
MPs push for formal apology and compensation from Japanese PM

OTTAWA – The Harper government should take a stand on human rights and denounce the Japanese prime minister’s attempt to deny the forced prostitution endured by South Korean, Chinese and Filipino women during the Second World War. NDP MPs Wayne Marston and Dawn Black are calling on Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay to act in accordance with the principles of human rights that ordinary Canadians believe in.

“Prime Minister Abe must be pressured to formally apologize and to institute a program to compensate the estimated 50 000 to 200 000 women who were forced to serve in military brothels during WWII,” said NDP Human Rights Critic Wayne Marston (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek).

The Chair (Mr. Jason Kenney, MP -- Calgary Southeast, Alberta): We'll now move to committee business. There is a motion before the committee in the name of Mr. Marston.

Mr. Marston.

This relates to the call for an apology regarding the imperial Japanese army's practice of comfort women. Mr. Marston, would you like to speak to your motion.

Mr. Wayne Marston: I'd like to start by highlighting the fact that Monday's apology by the prime minister of Japan was not an official apology, in many eyes, as it did not acknowledge the government's responsibility for the use of comfort women at the time. What we're looking for in this motion is for the Government of Japan to accept full responsibility for the crimes against comfort women; provide full reparations for survivors in accordance with international standards; provide direct compensation to the comfort women or their immediate relatives. This came about because people, across this country, have approached our caucus--Chinese, South Korean, and Filipino--who were greatly affected by this haineous set of events that took place. I think it's very important.

Mr. Wayne Marston: Thank you for the comprehensive testimony today. I believe, Canada, when we speak out we are at our best.

I come from a labour background. Dialogue and negotiations are something that I've seen day to day that have been very effective. When you talk revolution though and you think of Lek Walesa and solidair noche and the fact that they controlled the economy and it was how they were successful, I have trepidation about Iran at that level.

I was in Saudi Arabia in 1979. When I heard you refer to accidents and payments for injury, at the time I worked for the telephone company. If we ran over a Saudi by accident we paid $30,000. If they ran over one of us it was one riel which was 30¢. Of course the Canadian dollar was worth more then.

From Subcommittee on International Human Rights

Mr. Wayne Marston: In 1996 I led the largest civil demonstration in the history of this country, and during that we had 105,000 people, which was a significant amount on the streets of Hamilton. During that time, often we talked and thought about what happened in Tiananmen Square and the difference of how we could protest here, and the penalties and the cost. I have to say I have a great respect for the people who lived through that time. I want you to know that others were thinking of you.

Listening today, when you talked so eloquently about the needs of others and in China, and other people could have come here and talked about their personal pasts and their personal trials. I respect you greatly for doing that in the manner that you had today.

MARSTON QUESTIONS FLAHERTY ON BANK MERGERS
Marston questions Minister on Bill C-37, ATM fees

OTTAWA – During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, Wayne Marston MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) asked Minister of Finance Flaherty why average Canadians are getting gouged while big banks reap the profits.

“While the big-six banks made record profits - $19 billion last year – Canadians coughed up $420 million of their own money last year at bank-owned ATMs. The Conservative amendments to the Bank Act in Bill C-37 don’t address the issue of unnecessary ATM fees even though the Minister has indicated that he would raise it with banks.” said Marston.

Mr. Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP): First of all, I want to say that I feel honoured by your presence here today.

Because of our parliamentary style of democracy here, you will find that oftentimes in our discussions we don't agree with members of the government, even though their interest here in particularly Mr. Celil's case is certainly commendable. One thing I'm very concerned about is ethical trade. Human rights should take a priority at all times.

I've been calling for a special envoy, a parliamentary delegation perhaps, to go to China to take up Mr. Celil's case. Would you see that as being effective?

Mr. Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP): I'm going to pick my words carefully here, and you'll understand in a second. I want to tell Mr. Houlden that I agree with his evaluation that there are some areas of human rights that are improving and some that are going downhill.

I met last week with a person from Hong Kong who works underground in China with the civil society groups. This is why I'm going to choose my words carefully. This person was telling me that they believe in the last 15 years there has been a fairly significant change in human rights and that there have been improvements. What this person spoke about, though, was that it seems the military or the police in certain districts are more offensive than in others in the area of human rights. It's almost like the government itself doesn't have that control; it's not systemic through the government.