Playing The Race Card

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PLAYING THE RACE CARD

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uploaded by Barry Artiste

NOW PUBLIC Readers no doubt have read in the media about the Liberal Party’s Critic for Foreign Affairs MP Mr. Dosanjh playing the Race Card in regards to the Air India Inquiry.

Some may say this is media grandstanding. Now Public Readers should know the following. Mr. Dosanjh is deeply committed to human rights and social justice. He has been involved with the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, MOSAIC.

Under the Federal Liberals Mr. Dosanjh served as Minister of Health Canada under Paul Martin’s Liberals in 2004. Under the New Democratic Party (NDP) of British Columbia Mr. Dosanjh has also served as Minister of Government Services, Minister of Multiculturalism, Human Rights and Sports, and as Attorney General of British Columbia. Mr. Dosanjh was sworn in as British Columbia's 33rd Premier on February 24, 2000.

The Air India Inquiry needs closure to the Air India victim’s families who will be forever scarred by the inactions of a few who initated this horrendous tragedy on the world. Heart rendering images of children bodies being airlifted out of the ocean by helicopters were witnessed the world over and to this day affect the Irish People who emotionally recount the tragic event decades later. To state Racism in the Air India Inquiry is yet to be proven is heresay which is inadmissible in courts, and should also not be stated in the media in order to sell papers.

Two examples of proven racism in Canada.

FACT: In 1914 British Columbia forbade the Komagata Maru permission after two months in Vancouver harbour to dock and unload 376 Immigrants from India onto Vancouver docks.
The Komagata Maru left the Vancouver docks, the media reported that throngs of Vancouver citizens on the docks cheered it’s departure.

FACT: First Nations have been treated to racism for centuries by all political parties resulting in a lot of taxpayer funded dialogue, with little or no action to this day.

Now Public Readers should know that Mr. Dosanjh, who has performed many roles from British Columbia NDP Premier to jumping ship to the Liberal as their Liberal Federal Health Minister is deemed a powerful and intelligent man having been in politics longer than some Now Public readers have been on this earth.

It is reported by the media and his official webpage that Mr. Dosanjh is well versed in Human Rights Abuses around the world and in particular Canadian history. So, it brings into question why an intelligent and powerful political human rights figure who served in both the Liberal and New Democratic Party when they were in power failed to aggressively address, speak out and act on any of the above tragedies both current and in the past when both the Federal Liberals and Provincial NDP parties had the resources to rectify it.

The Air India tragedy happened under the Conservative Governments watch in 1985. The Liberal Government inherited this issue when they took power under Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, who, for the most part may not have pursued the investigation as aggressively as the Harper Government.

Is it unfair to accuse Mr. Dosanjh, Liberal Opposition Critic of Playing the “Race Card”, political posturing and media grandstanding? This is the same Mr. Dosanjh who did nothing, when he had the cajones to do something, now finds himself sitting uncomfortably on the other side of the political fence? Perhaps that decision is best left to Intelligent Canadians and Now Public Readers to decide. Race has no place in the Air India Inquiry, Criminal responsibilty does.

Barry (NP)

Recent developments of the Air India Inquiry:
http://communities.canada.com/nationalpost/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2007/05/06/national-post-editorial-board-bartleman-s-shocking-testimony.aspx

Related Story on Racism in Canada

1914 Komagata Maru Story
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=7dcb64ea-5e26-4265-9de7-5a21daf83995&k=77372