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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau),

"WHEREAS on April 13th 1699 the Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh established Khalsa, the Order of Pure Beings; and

"WHEREAS the Sikh community has made tremendous contributions to the growth and development of Manitoba; and

"WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba recognizes the tercentennial anniversary is of great significance to members of the Sikh faith.

"THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba recognizes the importance of April 13th to all Sikhs and the contributions that Canadian Sikhs have made to our province and country.

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba also recognize the importance of the five K's the KIRPAN – a sword representing indomitable spirit, KES – unshorn hair, representing a simple life, saintliness and devotion to God, KARA – a steel bangle worn as a sign of the eternity of God, KANGA – a wooden comb worn to represent a clean mind and body, and KACHA – short breeches, representing hygienic living."

Mr. Lamoureux: It is indeed a privilege for me to be introducing this resolution to my colleagues in the Legislative Assembly, Madam Speaker. It is with great pride that I reflect on my former colleague Dr. Gulzar Cheema, who first provided me the opportunity to get to know so many members of his community. That is, in essence, where it started for me in terms of being embraced by so many within the community, so many different families. I would, I believe, be wrong to start naming some of the families in fear of leaving some out, but suffice to say, from me personally and my family, I extend our best wishes to those within the Sikh community who are celebrating a very noteworthy time.

Having said that, I would also like to acknowledge their contributions to our social fabric, the contributions to our economic development. We are who we are today in Manitoba because of the significant contributions of the Sikh community. The contributions are, in fact, immeasurable and cover every walk of life. Whether it is home care providers to heart surgeons to taxi drivers to entrepreneurs or businessmen, Madam Speaker, every aspect of Manitoba's culture and heritage has been touched in many different ways. I would go on to make special mention in this tercentennial of Sikhism of a special contribution to the Children's Hospital that is being made by the community, which, I thought, was just a wonderful gesture from a wonderful people.

With those few words, I would ask that the resolution be passed. Thank you.

Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (St. Norbert): Madam Speaker, it gives me honour today to be the seconder of this motion brought forward by the honourable member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux) and myself. I have had the opportunity over the past ten years of working with the Sikh community, and they have taught me a lot. A lot of the areas that I learnt actually taught me more about peace and tranquillity, giving me the opportunity of being able to understand myself better because of what I learnt from the Sikhism. The resolution speaks for itself.

The member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux) has put forward his words on the issue, but let me just say that on the weekend I attended a festival for Khalsa celebration at the Walker Theatre. There was an entertainer from Punjab that was in. Let me say that I found out that also within the Sikh community they know how to rock, because let me tell you, Madam Speaker, it was entertainment that all should be involved in and hear. To see this artist performing was an eye opener for me. I do not think I would have ever had the energy or the stamina to stand through a show and put forward a show such as this in my life.

I also think that it was important that we went through and put in the last RESOLVED about the importance of the five Ks. All too often we do not recognize the importance of different cultures within our province and what spirituality or which symbols they recognize. This recognition will help us in seeking peace throughout the world as we as a peace nation take our cultures and spread them throughout the world and work with other countries on bringing peace throughout the world.

With those short words, I would like to see the passing of this to celebrate Khalsa and the Sikh community within our province and our country. Thank you.

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, I, too, want to join with my members in supporting the resolution before the Chamber. I think it is important as Leader of our party that I speak to the private member's resolution because I think it is important that we go beyond just the party's individual private member's resolution and speak to the policies that flow from the resolution before us in this Chamber. I want to say that this resolution is very consistent with the comments that were made at the Convention Centre–I made the comments at the Convention Centre at the celebration of the 300th anniversary of Khalsa–that the five Ks had to be part of our resolve in the ability of us to speak to the community. It also means that we have responsibilities to understand and to act on our understanding.

Madam Speaker, it has been an interesting number of months to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Khalsa. I have had the opportunity of attending the flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, and I am proud that our mayor did proclaim that anniversary day and did have the community totally involved as fellow Winnipeggers and Manitobans in the raising of the flag at City Hall. All party Leaders, I know, attended the march and the picnic and the meeting that took place a couple of weeks ago, I think it was June 12, at the Centennial Concert Hall. I was proud to be there with five members of our caucus and two members of our federal caucus to join with the community in the celebration of the anniversary and the values of tolerance, pride, and the supremacy of God that is so important in the Khalsa religion.

In reading some of the history of Sikhs in Canada, and it only speaks to about 120 years or less than 120 years of the 300 years of Khalsa celebration, this history is one that I think should be taught in our Canadian history, because for us to learn to be more tolerant is to learn some of the examples of intolerance in the past, the issues of employment, the issues of citizenship, the issues of the right to vote, which became a huge issue in the province of British Columbia in the late '40s. We are proud of the fact that our predecessors in the CCF were very committed to the right of all citizens to vote in the provincial elections in British Columbia in the late '40s. Magnus Eliason writes in his book that it may have cost us the provincial election because of intolerance in those years, but, of course, doing the right thing was as important in the late '40s as it is as we approach the next century.

We also know that immigration policies were changed. I think it was the straight passage bills and laws for the right to be a Canadian citizen that put undue hardship on many Commonwealth citizens that were denied citizenship because of the regulation on safe passage.

So it is an interesting history because it is a history that allows us to learn from our intolerance as a country to be more tolerant in the future. This resolution speaks to tolerance. I want to congratulate the member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux) in bringing this resolution forward.

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I spoke of the five symbols at the assembly. I think it is important to speak to the five Ks here in this Legislative Assembly as part of our recognition of the 300th anniversary. It is also important to note the Khalsa code of ethical conduct, principles of pride in one's religion but respect for others' religions. The issue that we must provide an honest day's labour and help the poor and needy is also an issue of Sikh ethical values. Sikh religious philosophy is something we have all learned as we have attended many events and learn more and more each time we go. The whole issue of the importance of family life, the equality of the sexes, the social responsibility to help others in need and the importance of community services, surely the principles that are founded in this Legislature and are very consistent with the resolution that is before us today.

I am attempting to learn, in this celebration ceremony, some of the language. Wahe guru ji ka Khalsa wahe guru ji ki fateh. I know that it means Khalsa is the creation of God and victory belongs to God. It is important that today, in this 300th anniversary, that we pass this resolution. I join with other members in endorsing this resolution and offering the support of our caucus to this resolution.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, I would like to join with members in offering the support along with my colleague the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau), who seconded the resolution offering our support for this important resolution here today.

Perhaps my only regret in having it brought forward on this particular day is, as is always the case when we are ending the session, we also have a committee sitting in another committee room, which, of course, means that we do not have as many members present in the Chamber as we would normally do on this occasion, but that is part of running the business of the House.

So that is my one regret in coming forward today, that more members, just because of the way the business is being conducted this morning, are not able to be here.

I want to join with other members in recognizing this very, very important event in the life of the Sikh community in Manitoba and in the Sikh religion. As a newly elected MLA some 11 years ago, I was introduced to the Sikh religion and culture by many in the community who have invited me from time to time to visit temples and to participate in community events and cultural events. On many of those occasions, I was joined by the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau) or the member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux), our former colleague for The Maples constituency who served in this House for a number of years, and it was for me a very educational experience to be able to learn in a first-hand manner about a religion and a culture that was not something with which I had grown up in the area north of Winnipeg in the Selkirk and district, where until recently we had a very, very small Sikh community. But it was an opportunity to learn about a religion and culture that was very new to me, and I enjoyed that.

What always impressed me, and still does, was how absolutely welcome one was made to feel within whatever temple one visited or whatever community event one visited. I always enjoyed taking my young daughters with me, as I do from time to time, because for them, as young people, the opportunity to learn about others is so important in building the kind of, I think, understanding that we need as a province and a country to move into the next century.

For Manitobans, we are a very unique place in many ways, and I say this as a great grandchild of emigrants from Ukraine who came to this country at the turn of the century. Around a hundred years ago actually our family celebrated our coming to Canada, and this year will be 101 years that my family has been in Canada. But many of the stories and many of the problems and many of the difficulties and many of the issues of intolerance, of prejudice, of difficulty in settlement, of apparent clashing of cultures in a new land, I think many of us who also have backgrounds that were different in our families coming to Canada, appreciate what one goes through. Although it was not my generation who went through it, it was certainly part of my growing up to recall and learn about from my grandparents the story of their parents and the difficulties in coming to the country.

But what has always impressed me about the strength of this province and the strength of this country is that ultimately we are able to embrace cultures and religions and peoples from all over the globe and to be able to bring people together and weld together a variety of peoples to form one community, and within that community still maintain our differences, our traditions and our cultures, with mutual respect for each other's background but still build one community.

When I look at other parts of the world with a similar tradition or history–and one looks at our neighbours to the south in the United States where the melting pot theme was very much part of their culture, where people would be melted into this pot of being Americans, and perhaps that is what they did because of their huge size and their very temperate climate and all the opportunities that came with that.

For we Canadians out here on the northern part of the continent with a harsh climate–and I look to the member for Thompson who represents a northern riding. I know in all the times I have visited the North where we have the most severe climate, I always see in miniature in those small northern communities that great effect of huge distance, large land and harsh climate and what it does to people. It forces us, ultimately, to live together with mutual respect because we have to depend on one another, unlike the United States that is so big where people get molded.

We have to respect each other, learn about each other simply to survive. In a very real way, you see that when you visit those small Northern Affairs communities in northern Manitoba where small groups of people, and you realize there are just so few people, if you do not get along, if you do not rely on one another, in the harshness of that climate you do not survive.

In many ways, that is the story of Canada: a nation, and certainly in Manitoba, a province, with few people, lots of land and a harsh climate. That has forced us, I think, and to our great benefit, to be a country that embraces others, embraces differences. We all know we have our share of intolerance and prejudice in other communities, but ultimately we overcome that because we need one another. The Sikh community in Canada and in Manitoba is and has contributed greatly to our province.

As a former Minister of Health, when I recall all the individuals from the Sikh community who play a role in the medical world and in the health world, it is truly phenomenal. As the Minister of Highways and Transportation, in the ground transportation industry the tremendous contribution of the Sikh community in that particular industry is phenomenal. When we look at many of the new businesses that are growing and developing in our province, many of them coming from individuals who are part of the Sikh community, the cultural side, as the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau) has indicated. So I think today, and I say this as a member of cabinet and I say this on behalf of the Premier (Mr. Filmon), that the contribution of the Sikh community is a critical part of the growth and future of our province.

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I know as someone who comes of Ukrainian background how important it was for my community when we recognized Taras Shevchenko decades ago with the placing of the statue on our Legislative grounds. I know as a former Minister of Northern Affairs how important it was for the Metis community when this House passed a resolution recognizing the role of Louis Riel. I know how important it is to my colleague from Sturgeon Creek who rises each day on Tartan Day, how important it is to the Scottish community.

In the same way, this resolution today being the first time that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba has recognized in a formal, official, and appropriately on this day, the importance of the Sikh community to our province. This resolution sends a message to all Manitobans, not just to the Sikh community but to all Manitobans, about the importance of the Sikh community in the make-up of our province and our nation. It says to the world that Manitoba is a place that embraces all people to build its future.

So this is a very significant day not just for the Sikh community in recognizing an important part of their religious life, but it also sends a message to all Manitobans that the Sikh community is an important part of the great mosaic of our province and will be a great part of our future.

Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Wahe guru ji ka Khalsa wahe guru ji ki fateh. It is my great pleasure to join with my own caucus colleagues and members of the other caucuses in the Legislature to support this resolution which acknowledges the tercentenary celebration of Khalsa and also recognizes the work and contributions that the Sikh community has made to the nation of Canada and the province of Manitoba.

I too participated in the celebrations on June 12, the march and the celebrations at the Convention Centre. Also, this last Saturday I was honoured to be at another celebration along with the member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux), a recognition on the part of the City of Winnipeg of the contributions that the Sikh community has made to the growth and development and the nature of the city of Winnipeg. As the mayor said and as I said on Saturday, one of the strengths of the city of Winnipeg and also the province of Manitoba is our diversity, and the Sikh community has played an enormous role in that diversity and in the making of Winnipeg and Manitoba the city and province that it is today.

I believe, as well, that we need to reflect as legislators particularly on the code of ethical conduct and the principles of the Sikh religion and way of life: the supremacy of God; the importance of family life; the rejection of any social distinction based on caste, creed, race or sex; the full equality of women; the social responsibility to help others in need; and the importance of community service.

We all in this House and I believe most citizens at the very least pay lip service to those principles. There is not a one amongst us who would deny the importance of those principles. The challenge comes, particularly for us as legislators, in implementing those principles in everything we do in this House, whether it be as government in bringing forth legislation or as members of opposition in challenging that legislation at times for its lack of fulfilling the principles of Khalsa. I believe it is very important and very timely, as we are debating legislation in this House today and have been and will continue to do so, that we try–and all we can do as fallible human beings is try–to reflect on those principles and those codes of ethics. If we did it perhaps a little better than we currently do, our community would be a better place to live, and we would owe even more to the Sikh religion and foundation.

I also believe that as legislators this is an opportunity for us to recognize the members of the Sikh community throughout Canada who have made a difference in various legislatures and in the House of Commons in Parliament. We do recognize the role that the Sikh community has played in many parts of our society, but we have an opportunity as members of a legislature to recognize the role that our peers and our colleagues across the country have played and are continuing to play in our parliamentary system.

I would like, very briefly, to outline some of the Canadian Sikhs who have made a position for themselves of honour and dignity and importance. In the House of Commons. Mr. Herb Dhaliwal is a cabinet minister. Also, there are two other members, I believe, in the House of Commons: Gurbax Singh Malhi, also from the Liberal Party; and from the Reform Party, Germant Singh Grewal from Alberta. So there are three members of the House of Commons that are representing the Sikh community, as well as their constituents in Parliament.

I would like to recognize, as well, the contributions that were made in this House by Mr. Gulzar Cheema, who was the member for The Maples before he went to British Columbia. Also, I am very proud as a member of the New Democratic Party, which has spoken out for decades against racism, against intolerance, and for inclusion, alone, Madam Speaker, at many times in our history but steadfast in those principles and speaking out on those principles, that we have four members of legislatures in western Canada who are from the Sikh community.

In British Columbia, we have three members of the Legislative Assembly who are also cabinet ministers. Mr. Moe Sihota was the first Sikh to be elected to a Canadian legislature. He is joined as a cabinet minister in the British Columbia government by Ujjal Dosanjh, who is Attorney General, chief law enforcement officer, in the province of British Columbia and is doing magnificent work in that regard as the chief law enforcement officer and the person who is responsible for making sure that justice is available for all people in the province of British Columbia. Transport Minister Harry Lali is also a member of the cabinet in British Columbia.

I think it is also very important that we recognize the MLA from the province of Alberta, who also happens to be a New Democrat in Alberta, which is not often the most friendly territory for New Democrats, but Raj Pannu has been elected as an MLA in the Province of Alberta. So I just, as a member of the Legislature in Manitoba, would like to recognize the role that the Sikh community has played, not only in the rest of our society and they have done a remarkable job in a little over a hundred years as a factor in the Canadian mosaic, but also for those legislators throughout western Canada who have made an impact and continue to make an impact on their various legislatures, and again I would just like to end by saying congratulations to the members of the Sikh community on the role that they have played in our city and our province and our country.

I hope that we as legislators and individuals will reflect and try and enact and live by the principles of Khalsa. We could all do far worse than do that, so congratulations.

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Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): It is certainly my distinct honour to put a few brief comments on the record. I am very taken with the activities of the Sikh community in Winnipeg and Manitoba, and in a very small way I too have had reason to notice the significant contribution that this group of individuals has made to the growth and development, not only of Manitoba, but of Canada. I think it is fitting that we as legislators pause to recognize the significant contributions that they are continuing to make to the development of Manitoba.

The Sikh community has made tremendous contributions to the growth and development of Manitoba, not only in the economic sense, and we know of their hard work, their diligence, their principled approach to economic matters which I think causes us all to understand that wherever we are from, whatever cultural background we are from, we all can contribute to making this province, from an economic point of view, much more dynamic. The Sikh community has not disappointed us in that respect. The Sikh community continues to strengthen the economic backbone of Manitoba and we certainly look forward to seeing more of their community join us here in Manitoba. We need more immigrants in Manitoba, and these are people that have demonstrated what a tremendous asset immigration has been to Canada.

Of course, speaking from my own cultural and religious group, we came to Manitoba as early as 1870, and the Mennonites generally have also contributed to the development of Manitoba.

The Sikh community in some respects are newer to Manitoba, but they have made no less an impact on that and on the economic development of Manitoba. I want to say that I have always been welcomed at the temple in my constituency on McLeod Avenue. They have always greeted me and my family in a very positive, friendly way. They have discussed their concerns with me. They have raised them with me and asked me to understand specifically their problems and how we can resolve them together. I have found that in our discussions they have always conducted themselves in an honourable way.

So I have spoken about the economic contribution that this dynamic community has made to our province. I also want to talk about the cultural influence of this community in Manitoba and also in my constituency. These individuals, as I have indicated, have invited me and my family to their temple to share in their religious experience and their religious ceremonies. Although we do not necessarily share all of the same principles, I think they respect my views in that respect and I respect their views. I think that is the wonderful thing about Canada and working together as a multicultural society.

They do not hesitate to share their cultural values, their religious values and, I believe, go to some lengths to explain to me some of the principles that they believe in and hold dear. I know I have shared meals with them at the temple. I want to say that the food that they have shared with me and my family has always been exceptional and, again, is demonstrative of their generous spirit and the kindness that they show not only to me as their MLA but, in fact, as a member of another cultural group.

It gives me very great pleasure to stand here with the Legislative Assembly and fellow members, and I want to thank the member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux) for bringing this resolution forward. I think it is a timely resolution. I know it also speaks well of the member for Inkster and his very close contact with the Sikh community. I specifically want to thank him for bringing this resolution forward, because I know in his workings in the constituency and in the Legislature he has never shied from bringing forward the views and the concerns of the Sikh community.

I just wanted to put that on the record. I note the member for The Maples (Mr. Kowalski), of course, who stepped into the shoes of the former MLA, who was also mentioned here, Mr. Cheema, who, again, as a member of that community, contributed greatly to the debate and the progress of matters here in the Legislature.

I want to just simply recognize the importance of April 13 to all of the Sikhs and the contributions that the Canadian Sikhs have made to our province and our country. I also want to put on record here, and I know to some extent I am simply stating what the resolution already says, but I think that it does not hurt for us to repeat the importance of the five Ks that are set out in the resolution. I think it is important for us to reflect on those matters.

First of all, the Kirpan, a sword representing the indomitable spirit; the Kes, the unshorn hair representing a simple life, saintliness, and devotion to God; Kara, a steel bangle worn as a sign of the eternity of God; the Kanga, a wooden comb worn to represent a clean mind and body; and Kacha, the short breeches representing hygienic living.

Which one of us in this Assembly cannot agree with these principles? I think these are principles that we all share, whatever religious or cultural background we come from. It gives me great pleasure to honour the community here in Manitoba, the contributions that they have made, and to recognize the establishment on April 13, 1699, of the Tenth Master, when he established Khalsa, the Order of Pure Beings, and to reiterate that the positive contribution that these individuals have made as a community and as individuals bodes well for the future of immigration in Canada.

We welcome more of their community to our country as, indeed, we welcome others from other racial and cultural backgrounds to this country that many of us, of course, came to as immigrants. So they are not strangers here in this country. We are all working together to achieve the same goals, the same principles and seek to live together in this wonderful country. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Madam Speaker, I wonder if there might be leave not to see the clock, so that we not only have the opportunity to not only speak on this but ensure that we pass this important resolution.

Madam Speaker: Is there unanimous consent of the House for the Speaker not to see the clock? [agreed]

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Mr. Ashton: Madam Speaker, I had the very great honour to attend a very important ceremony in my own community of Thompson marking the 300th Anniversary of Khalsa and to attend the Assembly here in Winnipeg just recently. In fact, I had the very great honour to be asked to speak to the Assembly on the 300th Anniversary of Khalsa.

A lot has been said about the importance of the contribution of the Sikh community in Manitoba and Canada, but I think it is important to recognize that the Khalsa fundamentally is not a cultural event. The Khalsa represents a very important historic development in the Sikh religion that goes back to Guru Nanak 500 years ago and the last guru, Guru Gobind Singh. I want to stress the fact that as I have discussed Sikhism, I have learned so much of what Sikhism stands for. It is very important that we recognize that it was a revolutionary doctrine, a very revolutionary, religious, social, political and economic statement that was made at the time and still is at this time in our century.

Five hundred years ago, we had a declaration that was some 450 years ahead of the universal Declaration of Human Rights, of Guru Nanak, 450 years. We had a declaration that talked about the dignity, the respect of all people and the equality of all people, the rejection of the caste system and discrimination based on that, the equality of men and women. As anybody who has attended, as I have, at Gudwaras and seen the Langar, the community kitchen, what a revolutionary concept that in the Gudwara, every one is equal. There is no status. What a revolutionary concept. This is from hundreds of years ago.

I say to many people in Canada that often if you look around this building, we often see different elements of western European civilization represented, Confucius, but in keeping with what the government House leader (Mr. Praznik) talked about, I think it is time to recognize that Sikhism itself is one of the fundamental, ethical, moral, social, political, economic and religious movements in the world and should be recognized not only in the form of this resolution, but perhaps, and I make this suggestion, that we make some concrete effort to recognize the 300th Anniversary of Khalsa in this building, which should represent that spirit.

I want to stress, too, that we are not simply recognizing history, because we often make the mistake of assuming that history is something that is past. You know, we are all making history every day that we live. As a member of the Legislature, I deal with these issues myself on a daily basis, and I want it recognized because too often we forget the kind of struggles that have happened in our lifetimes and certainly within the last number of generations.

You know, Sikhs have lived in Canada for 100 years. It was not until 1947 that all Sikhs in Canada had the right to vote. That is shameful, an absolutely shameful chapter of our history.

In 1907, the straight passage law was brought in by, actually ironically, a future prime minister of Canada, Mackenzie King, that prevented Sikhs from being able to immigrate directly, even though they were British subjects entitled legally to live in Canada. For a generation, many Sikh men were denied the opportunity to be reunited with their family.

We talk about the head tax. The head tax was applied to Sikh Canadians. In the 1930s, our leader referenced that the forerunner of my party, the CCF, was attacked in British Columbia for supporting the right of Sikhs and of all Canadians to be able to vote. There were full-page ads saying: if you vote for the CCF, you are voting for orientals to have the vote. That was the kind of racism that we faced.

I want to say, sadly, that at times we forget that this is not just history, that racism still continues at this time. You know, I have seen the reaction. I remember sitting in this Legislature when we had the debate on motorcycle helmets. We took the stance, the government at the time, of saying that Sikhs should be entitled as Canadians not to have to wear a helmet, out of respect for the Sikh religion. You know what struck me–by the way, my wife is from Greece–it is amazing that in the Second World War, in her mother's town, you know who liberated that town from the Germans? The first troops in were the Sikh troops.

What struck me when I saw the debate on the helmets, and later in terms of the RCMP, is that there were far too many Canadians who had no problems with Sikhs fighting for Canada, fighting against oppression, respecting the ability to wear a turban, but did not want RCMP officers to have that same ability. I am so glad that, whether it be in terms of motorcycle helmets or whether it be in terms of the RCMP, enough Canadians stood against that–I use the word "racism" because there was racism–and allowed what I think was a human right of Sikh Canadians to be in that position, to do that.

But I want to suggest one step further. I mention we are all making history. Three hundred years ago Guro Goben Singh made history with Khalsa, but we are all making history today. I want to suggest, as a challenge to this Legislature, that what we do is recognize that racism still exists in our society. I want to say that some of the strongest voices against racism have been Sikh Canadians. I think if anybody understands the history of Sikhism, they will understand why. Sikhs have always fought against, not only racism directly towards Sikhs, but against all people. It is part of Sikhism. It is part of the belief.

I want to say that because I have a very personal connection. I have learned very much from people I know very personally. My political mentor, in fact many of my closest political connections, people I have learned very much from in my own community, John Mann, for example, whom I know very well, and many other people I know in Winnipeg–I am proud to say that, by the way, because I have learned so much myself.

I want to finish by saying this today: passing this resolution is very important, but let us not stop at doing this. If we as a Legislature have learned anything from the discussion today, if we have learned anything about what the spirit of Khalsa means and what Sikhism means, what I would like to see is, first of all, a recognition on these legislative grounds of Khalsa, of Sikhism, and, second of all, that when we have the chance to pass laws, when we have the chance in this Chamber to act, what we do is we practise that same tremendous vision of society. Whether it be in terms of barring any kind of racism, I still think we have a long way to go. We can pass acts of that kind, ensuring real social and economic equality, ensuring the end of subtle racism in our society.

I say, in this Legislature, let us learn the lesson, not just recognize the date of 300 years. Let us learn the lesson of Khalsa, of Sikhism. It is a lesson that I have learned myself; it is a lesson I learn every time I talk to the passionate Sikhs I know, it is a lesson for all Canadians. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): Madam Speaker, I too would like to say a few words about this resolution. I would like to thank my colleague for Inkster for bringing forward this resolution today. It is no surprise that he would do it. I have attended the Sikh Society of Manitoba, which is in my constituency, a number of times with the member. So his closeness to the Sikh community I have seen with my own eyes.

My comments will not be so much on the philosophical nature but on the personal level. From the time that my wife and I chose to live in The Maples, one of the reasons why we chose to live there was because of the strong immigrant ethic in there. So my daughter, from the time that she started going to school, has been going to school with people from all different communities, including the Sikh community. She has attended birthday parties at many homes that were Sikh. At Dalip Bedi's house she went to Karen Bedi's birthday party. I have been invited to these homes. So the idea of welcoming the Sikh community, to accept the Sikh community seems foreign to me because it has become so natural. From the time I first entered politics, when I was running for school trustee, and the MLA for The Maples, Gulzar Cheema, and my colleague for Inkster took me around the Maples, he took me to many Sikh homes. I was immediately made to feel welcome.

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That is why, when he brought forward this resolution, I know he has also discussed with members of this Chamber about finding the place in the Legislature where we could, possibly the Pool of the Black Star, put some commemorative plaque or some recognition of the Sikh community's presence in Manitoba. I hope he will continue to work with other members so that there is a place in this Legislature where we could recognize the Sikh community.

I have other connections with the Sikh community. My cousin was the visa officer in New Delhi for a number of years. I was not aware that is where he was posted. I had lost contact until just a month before he left there. It is a good thing for him, because otherwise I would have been phoning him quite often about a number of visas, but I was able to get his assistance on a few visas. He has since returned to Canada and told me about living in New Delhi and the number of Sikh friends that he has had there.

A number of young men from The Maples who have applied for the Winnipeg Police Service, some of them, after they had been refused once or twice, their application was accepted. I have worked with them, coached them, given them letters of reference and helped them get on the Winnipeg Police Service. They have been on long enough now to know that they have performed very well. I am looking forward to possibly working in a cruiser car with some of those young men from the Sikh community, because I know they will be fine officers; they will be brave, honourable. I look forward to working with them.

Going to the temple is always a wonderful experience. I go there very often. One thing that was mentioned is their acceptance of other religions. I do enjoy talking about religions with the priest and the people there. The idea that my religion is accepted when I go there, I enjoy the idea that everyone is equal. I always make a point when I go to the temple, when after the service we share a meal, whenever possible I try to serve to accent the point that, yes, I am no better than anyone else here and no one here is any better than me. So whenever possible, I serve at the temple. I enjoy that, and I hope the people appreciate that.

At the temple, I have met some wonderful people. At the temple, I met Dr. Dhalla, who I was later to find out received the Order of Canada as a result of the research work he has done at the St. Boniface Hospital. I think not only Sikhs, but all Manitobans should be very proud of the work that Mr. Dhalla has.

It was brought up about political parties, and I think we all have things to be proud of and we all have things to be ashamed of. Political parties have made mistakes. Whether it is boycotting temples or helmet legislation, we have made mistakes and I am glad we have gone beyond that and now we can come together to pass a resolution like this.

I know that one thing that has been mentioned here is the Sikh community. From what I have seen is their involvement in the democratic process, from the time when Gulzar Cheema first was my mentor in The Maples and introduced me and helped me get elected, his entire executive for our political party was Sikh. So I quickly learned how committed the Sikh community is to the democratic process.

Then in 1995, my opponent from the NDP was Inderjit Singh Claire. He was a very honourable opponent. On the night of the election, he came over and shook my hand and he ran a very dignified campaign, and it showed the commitment to the democratic process of the Sikh community. In fact, even for this provincial election, for a while it looked like all three candidates were going to be from the Sikh community until George Sandhu decided to run in Inkster and Kara Sidhu's nomination was overturned. At one time, we were going to have all three parties represented by a Sikh-nominated candidate so it shows how committed to the democratic process the Sikh community is. So I will not delay the passage of this very important resolution.

I thank the Sikh community for all their assistance. I have now learned that for all the times I have gone to the temple, always this phrase that they said, finally now, I learned what it means: that God created Khalsa, and Khalsa's victories are God's victories. Now I know that, I am looking forward to going to the Sikh Temple in the future. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Frank Pitura (Minister of Government Services): Madam Speaker, I would just like to place a few comments on the record this morning. First, I strongly support the resolution that has been brought forward by the member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux) and nominated by the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau).

I guess what I would like to say is I am a rural MLA, Madam Speaker, and as such that I have not had the pleasure of having a strong relationship with the Sikh community as so many of my urban colleagues, but I think all that has been said here this morning, certainly, as a rural MLA, it really makes me appreciate the contribution that the Sikh community has made to the development of this country and of this province.

I know that there has been, earlier on in the year, the City of Winnipeg made a presentation of a tree to recognize Khalsa, and I am happy to say today that the planting of this tree will take place on the legislative grounds. Our chief groundskeeper is presently trying to seek a location where it can be planted, so that it will definitely stand out as a landmark recognizing the contribution of the Sikh community and recognizing Khalsa.

So with those few words, Madam Speaker, I suggest that we pass this resolution.

Madam Speaker: Is the House ready for the question? The question before the House is private member's Resolution No. 68, the 300th Anniversary of the Khalsa. Is it the will of the House to adopt the motion?

Some Honourable Members: Agreed.

Madam Speaker: Agreed? Agreed and so ordered.

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Mr. Ashton: Madam Speaker, I would ask that the record show that it was passed unanimously.

Madam Speaker: The record will accordingly show that this resolution was passed unanimously.

What is the will of the House? Is it the will of the House to call it twelve o'clock? [agreed] I am leaving the Chair with the understanding that this House will reconvene at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.