October 24, 2002
Human Rights Code Amendment Act
Question to Attorney General Geoff Plant
Victoria - Burnaby North MLA asked the following question to Attorney General Geoff Plant during the Committee stage of the Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2002:
R. Lee: I look at this code, and I also listen to the debate. I actually have some experience in this code and also in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I had the opportunity to go to Geneva to participate in quite a few sessions of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights meetings and sub-commission meetings.
In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it says in the preamble — there are a lot of preambles — in one of the sections that the General Assembly proclaims the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms, and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of member states themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdictions.
Education and teaching are very important. The key words I pick up there are "to promote respect for those rights and freedoms." I just wonder: in these changes, are there any opportunities in the ministry to promote respect for these rights and freedoms?
Hon. G. Plant: I appreciate the member's intervention. I think that question is broader than the scope of the code itself. I think that is a larger obligation that all ministers of the Crown have, but certainly the minister responsible for human rights has. I also think that in relation to this code…. I'll tell you this, if I may. This responsibility is a responsibility that the minister would have, in effect, whether or not this provision was in the code.
The reason it's here is because there were some folks around the province who looked at the changes we were making and said: "Education is important. We want there to be some statutory guarantee." We listened. We said: "All right, let's put that statutory guarantee there." After all, this is not a statute that is supposed to last a week. It may last years, if it's successful. It may outlast this government. Let's make sure that whoever comes along later as the minister responsible for this act has that responsibility.
You know, the responsibility stated in section 5, I think, is stated quite broadly: "…a program of public education and information designed to promote an understanding of this code." Well, what education does, if it's successful, is change behaviour. When you educate people about why we need human rights legislation and how it operates in our day-to-day lives, I think you can change behaviour away from behaviour that is founded in ignorance and disrespect towards behaviour founded on understanding and respect. That is all encompassed within the provision we have before us. I think the member's concern is adequately addressed in this bill.
