黄素梅的“设立南京大屠杀纪念日”私人法案得到跨党派支持——安省议会对省议员黄素梅的“设立南京大屠杀纪念日”私人法案的二读辩论片段 - 贴心姐妹网 - For an equitable and inclusive world，建设一个平等和拥抱多元的世界

（编者按：安省华裔自由党士嘉堡－爱静阁选区省议员、安省省议会副议长黄素梅（Soo Wong）提出的“在安省将每年的12月13日设为南京大屠杀纪念日”的私人法案（79号法案，Bill 79）日前在安省议会通过二读。在二读辩论中，来自不同党派的省议员表示了支持的立场，他们反思人类历史上的暴行，并指出现实相关性，从人权的角度，希望人类牢记历史惨痛教训，避免历史重演。他们也指出，安省人口背景的多元，令人们意识到从多元地域、族群角度认识历史和让后代认识历史真相的重要性。该法案还有待三读，三读通过后，该法案将成为安省正式法律，每年的12月13日将成为“南京大屠杀纪念日”。）

“今天是我的个人议案‘南京大屠杀纪念日’二读辩论，作爲这个辩论的先导，我希望提供一些 1930年代的历史资料。在1937年12月13日，日本帝国军队在中国的首都南京开啓了一个爲期六週的大屠杀，这一暴行也经常被称之爲 “南京浩劫 Rape of Nanking”，是现代历史上最惨绝人寰的暴行之一。在松井石根的指挥下，超过20万中国士兵和平民被无辜滥杀。

在John Pritchard和Sonia Zaide的专著《东京罪行审判》一书中，（作者）介绍了这场大屠杀，成千上万的妇女，不论老幼，都在日军佔领期间遭到性凌辱。许多的人，包括男人和女人、倖存者和曾经的军人、中国人和日本人，都讲述了类似的故事：妇女被从她们藏身的地方强拉出来，遭到集体轮姦，只要不服从，就遭到毒打或杀害。多部史书上也记载了这些早期的性奴隶和人口贩运的事实。

那些从可怕的暴行中倖存下来的人士，每当回忆那些时刻，就继续蒙受身体上和心理上的痛苦。他们理解记录历史的需要，但是倖存者的数目正在减少，而他们的往事正面临被永远遗忘和消失的危险。

安大略是加国衆多亚裔国民的家园，2014 年的统计有 260万。亚裔社区对我们安省做出了巨大贡献，他们通过艺术、敬业精神以及他们的智慧，在社会上、政治上和经济上丰富了我们的文化多元性。几乎每一个在过去四十年内来到安大略的亚裔移民，都不同程度上受到二次大战在亚洲的影响。有的安省移民甚至和南京大屠杀的遇难者或亲属有直接的关係。但是很多人却对二战期间发生在亚洲的暴行一无所知。设立一个正式的南京大屠杀纪念日，不仅可以让安省人民有机会瞭解这一事件，更可以瞭解到二战期间发生在亚洲国家的其他暴行。

世人公认，安大略是包容社会的领先地区，但如果没有安省民衆回顾那段历史的机会，就不可能实现社会包容。通过教育、纪念活动, 加强对这一历史事件的认知, 将打开进一步讨论和深入理解的大门, 确保这样的历史不再重犯。著名的获奖记者和人权人士 Erna Paris 指出, ‘在安省的日曆上确立一个纪念南京大屠杀的日子, 将爲这个鲜爲人知的历史事件带来它应有的关注, 因此也符合所有安省人民的利益’。

我希望安省议会能够跟随联邦政府的做法, 追忆受南京大屠杀影响的受难者及他们的家庭, 爲人权而战。

议长先生, 我之所以要提出我的个人议案, 目的就在于确认并且纪念这段历史确实发生, 并希望阻止类似的事件在将来发生。这并不涉及在安省的日本裔民衆。

在结束我的发言之际, 我希望引用 Bayview中学历史及社会学主任 Neil Marr 先生的话: ‘如果不去正式纪念这一事件, 人们就可以说: 我们的社会并不正眼看待在这个省和这个国家具有相当数量的华裔公民。——这将再一次非常令人失望, 就在不太多年以前, 华裔加拿大人曾经遭受不平等的待遇’。

通过举办纪念活动, 以及像二战史实维护会这样组织的努力, 二次大战期间发生在亚洲国家的暴行将不会被忘记, 那些受难者和亲属们的声音, 将不会消失。最重要的是, 安省民衆将有机会对这一惨绝人寰的反人类罪行进行反思和教育, 从而令历史不再重複这样的悲剧。”

“Right before Christmas 1998, the Ontario Legislature passed MPP Ted Chudleigh’s bill on a Holocaust Memorial Day, Bill 66. This bill received all-party support and is the first bill of its kind in any jurisdiction in North America. Bill 66 captures Ontario’s forward-thinking and steadfast commitment to fight against discrimination, and it paved the way for an inclusive society where all Ontarians may embrace their cultural heritage without fear of retaliation.

In 2009, the Legislature passed Bill 147, which commemorates the victims of the man-made famine of Ukraine. This bill was co-sponsored by Dave Levac, MPP for Brant, along with Cheri DiNovo, MPP for Parkdale–High Park, and MPP Frank Klees, Newmarket–Aurora. It was the first tri-sponsored bill to pass in the history of Ontario. It was passed with unanimous consent from all three House leaders.

These two bills passed by the Ontario Legislature demonstrate Ontario’s unified stance on human rights issues, no matter where they occurred, and their impact on Ontarians. Passing my private member’s bill demonstrates that Ontario continues to be committed to acknowledging and addressing human rights issues. If passed, it will be the first legislation from any western jurisdiction that commemorates the Nanjing Massacre.”

“Former MP Olivia Chow joins us later today to support my bill. As you know, Mr. Speaker, Ms. Chow and ALPHA Education championed the motion on Japanese military sexual slavery in the Second World War in the House of Commons, and it was passed unanimously on November 28, 2007. The motion called for the Japanese government to officially acknowledge the history and their war responsibilities, apologize and make necessary reparations to the victims of military sexual slavery during the Second World War in Asia.

During debate of this motion, the minister of multiculturalism and Canadian identity, the Honourable Jason Kenney, stated, “As Canadians, we acknowledge moments of injustice in our own history, but these women came to this country with a story that needs to be heard because we need to learn from the lessons of history to ensure they are not repeated.”

I hope, Mr. Speaker, this Legislature follows in the federal government’s footsteps, remembers the victims and families affected by the Nanjing Massacre, and fights for human rights.

The intent of my private member’s bill is to acknowledge and remember the history as it occurred in hopes of preventing similar actions in the future. This is not—I’m going to repeat, Mr. Speaker—this is not about the Japanese people in Ontario, and it’s not about today, other than remembering the day and the lesson that history teaches us.”

“As responsible citizens of Canada, and of the world, it is our responsibility to acknowledge and commemorate the Nanjing Massacre. It is our duty to teach our future generations the actual facts of this important part of history, and we all have to work very hard so that there’s never again another Holocaust or massacre or comfort woman or Boko Haram on this planet. That is why I’m submitting this statement to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.”

新民主党Toronto-Danforth省议员、新民主党环保和气候变化事务评论员 Peter Tabuns（2006年，Peter Tabuns在省议会提出“承认6月22日为安省华裔加拿大人人头税平反日”动议，获得了所有党的支持）:

"Although we humans are not very good at learning from our history, we’re even worse when we deny that history actually occurred—and for this, I want to thank the member for bringing forward the bill because this is a part of history that should not be forgotten or obscured. "

"Speaker, in my mind it is entirely clear that we need to face up to and acknowledge the reality of the brutality of the 20th century. We need to be clear about the economic chaos and the great power nationalism that was used by dictators to secure and hold power and the use to which they put that power.

If we want to help ensure that we don’t repeat the mistakes and massacres of that time, then we need to first remember that they actually happened. We need to remember that assumptions of racial or national superiority lead to the very darkest nights of human experience. We need to remember that scapegoating of individual religions or ethnic groups, when mixed with explosive anger over desperate economic circumstances, can lead to these kinds of large-scale human tragedies, these kinds of large-scale human crimes."

"For the people of Ontario, there is also the recognition that we all came here by many different ways and that our history is rooted in Asia, just as it is rooted in Europe and in Africa; that our makeup as a society has been touched by these historic events and they are as valid and real a part of us as any tragedy or crime against humanity that happened in Europe over the centuries. We are a people of many origins and it is well that we learn all the parts of our origin story.

Speaker, it’s my hope that this bill passes and becomes part of our memory of history so that we can remember where humanity can go wrong and so that we will take the steps to avoid going down those pathways in the future."

安省华裔自由党多伦多圣三一-士巴丹拿选区省议员、削减贫困策略厅长议会秘书、先进教育和技能发展厅长董含鹏（Han Dong)

"This bill serves a very important purpose. If passed, it will give us another opportunity to warn ourselves that we’ve got to do our best to prevent that from happening ever again.

Multiculturalism, which we all enjoy here in Canada, has bedrocks such as justice, fairness, equality and respect for all, including respect for one’s history and culture."

安省犹太裔保守党康山选区省议员、保守党反种族歧视事务评论员、文化事务副评论员Gila Martow：

"As somebody who put forward a motion last week on behalf of the Jewish community and others who believe that Jewish students should feel comfortable on our campuses, I’m very honoured to rise and speak on behalf of those who have advocated for many years for recognition of those who want to commemorate, and right a wrong.

We can never undo history. We all know that, those of us with relatives who died in the Holocaust during the Second World War. Very often when we talk about the Second World War, Mr. Speaker, we focus on Europe, but there were atrocities that happened in Asia as well.

We cannot bring the sins of the parents on to the children; we know that. I understand that the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre is uncomfortable with some of the discussions going on today, and I understand that, but we also need to commemorate those who lost their lives. We’re hearing today about the atrocities that were perpetrated upon women specifically during the Nanjing Massacre, where for six weeks, starting on December 13, 1937, basically hundreds of thousands of civilians lost their lives and were raped repeatedly.

We want not just to commemorate the victims of atrocities, but we also want to ensure that we educate our youth to understand that human beings are capable of horrific acts, and to ensure that this does not carry on into the future. .”

新民主党省议员、市政和住房事务评论员 Percy Hatfield（前加拿大国家广播电台温莎地区记者和温莎市市议员）

"I applaud the member from Scarborough–Agincourt for bringing this forward. I’m proud to stand here today in support of her private member’s bill."

安省华裔自由党万锦－于人村选区省议员、国际贸易厅厅长陈国治:

“It is important to recognize that World War II was in fact a world war. It affected North America; it affected Europe. But we cannot forget that it, too, affected Asia.

Speaker, I am proud to call myself an Ontarian because of the respect that we show to individuals of all cultures. With the hopeful passing of this bill, Ontarians will recognize and denounce the atrocities that took place between December 1937 and March 1938 in the city of Nanjing, China, so that we may prevent future brutalities and remember the hundreds of thousands of victims who were slaughtered senselessly in Nanjing. I believe that this is our duty as legislators and Ontarians: to provide our youth with the tools to reflect and educate themselves on this heinous crime against humanity.

Speaker, as a person who was born in China, this historical piece is close to my heart. I stand here today in a most sincere effort to prevent history from repeating itself.It is important to recognize that World War II was in fact a world war. It affected North America; it affected Europe. But we cannot forget that it, too, affected Asia.

Speaker, as a person who was born in China, this historical piece is close to my heart. I stand here today in a most sincere effort to prevent history from repeating itself.”

安省法裔新民主党省议员、第三政党议长、自然资源和森林事务评论员 Gilles Bisson:

"I want to speak a little bit differently in the sense that, if we think this is just something that happened in Nanjing and this is just something that happened on the part of the Japanese against the Chinese, we’re sadly mistaken. Unfortunately, far more places across this world have seen lesser and worse things when it comes to how we as human beings treat each other. We look at what happened to the Jewish community during the Second World War and what happened to other communities during the Second World War as a result of what was inflicted on the part of the Japanese and the Germans.

But I want people to remember something: Neither the Japanese nor the Germans were uncivilized societies. The Japanese and the Germans were as cultured, as educated and as civilized as any of us here. Yet people decided to take these actions, and people who were not just at the lowest rung—the individuals who actually did the butchering and the raping—but the people at the highest levels of government. If we think that we, as Canadians, North Americans or Europeans, are isolated and it wouldn’t happen to us again, we are sadly mistaken.

I think when we have occasions like this that come into the Legislature, when we talk about it, it reminds us that every day we have to fight against this. We see it today with Islamophobia in our own nation and across North America in regard to what’s happening in different parts of the world. We see it when it comes to what happens with anti-Semitic actions on the part of people in our own society against Canadians who live here. I remind people that we don’t have a proud history ourselves, to a certain degree, because when the Jews tried to come to Canada prior to 1939, we turned the boats away.

So I think it’s important that we recognize as citizens—never mind as legislators—that when we go home and we have these conversations with friends and family at occasions at the kitchen table, at the coffee shop or wherever it might be, when we hear people perpetrating lies and hatred against other people because they are different from us, we have to pick up the torch, and we need to move forward and push it back. We have to say to people, “That is unacceptable.”

This is one very small planet where we are all human beings, whatever colour, language or nationality we might be, or whatever religion it is. We owe it to each other to at least learn how to move forward over time so that we become a civilized place where all people on this planet, all people in this country and all people in this province are respected, and we respect that in law."

安省伊朗裔自由党省议员，研究、创新和科学厅厅长 Reza Moridi:

“Primo Levi, a well-known chemist, author and survivor of the Holocaust, wrote, “Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions.”

Bills such as the one MPP Soo Wong has put forward today are important reminders that we do not live in a perfect world. We live in a world marked by the scars of a tumultuous history. To remember that history is to do justice to the fallen and to safeguard the future from all forms of tyranny, oppression, racism and discrimination.

Bills like the one we’re debating today remind us to renew our dedication to fight all forms of evil. It is the responsibility of the living to honour this history and those who have suffered by preventing events like this from ever occurring again.

Humanity cannot afford another Nanjing Massacre. That’s why I choose to stand up today in this House and support the member from Scarborough–Agincourt and the bill she has put forward.

The commemoration of events such as these is intrinsic to this province’s stance of fighting any form of oppression. I am positive that every member of this House echoes the sentiment that we will not stand for any form of oppression or discrimination.

Those who suffered from the Nanjing Massacre were denied something that should be intrinsic to all humans: humanity. They were denied the right to live as humans, peacefully and without fear of violent oppression.

Mr. Speaker, the fight is not over. Even today, these forms of oppression are in the world. I challenge all members of this House to renew their commitment to fighting oppression. This is our responsibility to those who are not with us today.”

安省自由党新市－奥罗拉选区省议员、住房事务厅长、削减贫困策略厅长 Chris Ballard（前新闻记者和消费者权益倡权者）：

“I start with a quote from Robbie Burns, who in 1780 wrote, “Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.” I think it was an early acknowledgment of mankind’s propensity for evil.

It seems that it is a universal fact that atrocities like the Nanking Massacre have occurred throughout human history. Most recently, we can think of atrocities like the Holocaust, the Holodomor and the Rwandan genocide. Again, mankind’s propensity for evil seems boundless.

That’s why it’s so important that we stand vigilant against such hateful acts fuelled by xenophobia and unbridled nationalism. We need to remember that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

While humans have the capacity for great acts of violence, we can also look at the Nanking Massacre and see some great acts of bravery. As the Japanese army approached Nanking, a small group of businessmen and missionaries formed the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone prior to the attack. The safety zone opened in November 1937. The zone consisted of more than a dozen refugee camps. It did do some good, and thankfully, survivors were able to reorganize and carry on giving aid in Nanking until 1949.

Like these individuals on the relief committee, we must stand for the fact that all human beings possess a core of inalienable universal rights. We must never forget the atrocities committed against the people of Nanking, as we cannot forget those evils committed against so many others by so many all around the world. ”

(Source：Legislative Assembly of Ontario)