Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet,
Canadian Jewish Congress, December 12, 2003
"The Cabinet represents enormous change with 20 new members, 2 returning to Cabinet from previous Ministries and almost a dozen incumbent members switching portfolios. Prime Minister Martin has created the new ministries of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (moving responsibility for CSIS and the RCMP from the Solicitor General), Social Development, Human Resources and Skills Development and several new Ministries of State with particular areas of focus. International Trade has been hived off Foreign Affairs. Here are the results for Jewish Cabinet Ministers:
Senator Jack Austin becomes Leader of the Government in the Senate
Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal) becomes Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada
Jacques Saada (Brossard-La Prairie) becomes Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister responsible for Democratic Reform
... THE ISSUES Here are the key issues that CJC has on its agenda within the CIJA policy envelope with the major Cabinet departments. Canadian Heritage: Hon. Hélène Scherrer (Louis Hébert) Ensuring that antisemitism is a priority item in the continuing battle against all forms of racism Emphasis on maintaining civil discourse in the face of international instability (sponsorship of CJC conference on this topic) Establishment of a national memorial to the Holocaust in Ottawa that would complement effective and useful programming under annual Raoul Wallenberg Day and National Yom Hashoah Day commemorations Ensuring that all services available over the public airwaves are in compliance with the Canadian regulatory regime (CRTC, etc.) including Canadian laws and regulations, industry standards and Canadian values. Citizenship and Immigration: Hon. Judy Sgro (York West) Community and homeland security through the vigorous implementation of antiterrorism legislation in a context of human rights and the criminal inadmissibility sections of the Immigration Act to keep terrorists, hatemongers and war criminals out of Canada (in this context, we will be developing a policy on identity cards) Concerns about Canadian immigration policy including: the importance of family reunification, the points system and possible bias, receptivity to Canadian values (see civil discourse). Support for the proposed judicialization of the citizenship revocation process for war criminals but call for an accelerated pace of decision-making and faster action on deportations of war criminals or terrorists (see Justice section) Continue to expedite the arrival in Canada of Israeli schlichim and other possible visa issues. ... In conjunction with CIC, which has primary jurisdiction, CJC will play a support role in outreach to civil society sectors such NGOs, faith communities, ethnocultural organizations and academia in promoting support in Canada for the State of Israel, as the expression of the Jewish people’s self determination, and for a renewed Middle East peace process, based on the cessation of violence and terrorism as well as on justice and security. Issues pertaining to international human rights forums, which Palestinian and Arab delegations are using to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to attack Israel, promote antisemitism and deny Jewish human rights ... Justice and Attorney General: Hon. Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal) Support for consistent and across-the-board implementation of the anti-hate laws of the Criminal Code (in cooperation with provincial Attorneys General), no matter what the source. As well, we call on the Attorney General to ensure the consistent implementation across the country of sentence-enhancement provisions for hate-motivated crimes and new crimes against houses of worship and cemeteries provisions, as per the provisions of Bill C-36, the antiterrorism legislation (which we would argue need to be expanded to cover other communal property and institutions.) Consideration of various options to deal with hate on the Internet, including the new provisions in Bill C-36 (including amendments to the Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act.) legislation affecting religious practice (e.g., shechitah, Muslim zabiha) Urgent prosecution of Nazi war criminals in Canada through the use of civil as well as criminal remedies and extradition where relevant (applies to cases underway and the need for immediate action against other suspects)."