Head of Race Relations Foundation blasts Harper for calling equality the ‘latest fad’ and for political misuse of Japanese-Canadian internment

The Chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) has taken great exception to Stephen Harper’s statement in the House of Commons that ending discrimination is just the country’s “latest fad”. The Conservative Party leader made the claim during the debate on equal marriage yesterday.

“Ending discrimination is not a fad,” said Pat Case, chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. “Ending discrimination is an imperative:.

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation was created after the Government of Canada and the National Association of Japanese Canadians signed the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement. The Agreement acknowledged that the treatment of Japanese Canadians during and after World War II was unjust and violated principles of human rights. Under the terms of the agreement, the federal government promised to create an independent Canadian Race Relations Foundation, which would "foster racial harmony and cross-cultural understanding and help to eliminate racism."

“For Mr. Harper to try to use the internment of Japanese-Canadians in a partisan attempt to criticize a political opponent is simply embarrasing,” said Mr. Case.

Since its inception in 1997, the CCRF has been helping to bring about a more harmonious Canada that acknowledges its racist past, recognizes the pervasiveness of racism today and builds a future in which all Canadians are treated equitably and fairly.

Mr. Harper was quoted in Parliament as claiming, “What these new Canadians also understand - and this government doesn’t - is that there are some things more fundamental than the state and its latest fads.”

According to Mr. Case, Mr. Harper’s “fad” reference, “pits one minority against the other.”

“To brush off this very important issue - equality for all under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms - as the government’s fad du jour, is disrespectful to the important work we do every day … it is disrespectful to new Canadians and disrespectful to gay and lesbian people,” said Mr. Case. “These comments set the clock back rather than help move this country forward.”

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