🚀 go-pugleaf

Compliments of Ivan Grose, M.P. - Oshawa
igrosemp@msn.com


STANDING COMMITTEE ON 		    COMIT� PERMANENT DU
CANADIAN HERITAGE 	          PATRIMOINE CANADIEN

November 14, 1995


TO ALL CONCERNED CANADIANS:

As you know, Canada, our country, had a "close call" the evening of 
the Quebec referendum on October 30th , 1995.  If you feel, as I do, 
that it is time for Canadians to get involved - to assert our pride 
as Canadians, and celebrate Canada's successes, please read on.

We are generally a rather shy people when it comes to extolling the 
virtues of Canada.  However now, Canadians seem to be saying that we 
can't afford to lie back anymore.  We know and feel that we belong to 
the greatest country in the world and we want to show it.  I agree 
entirely!

Canadians must learn new ways to feel confident about this country   
We must find and develop new ways to express confidence in ourselves 
and in Canada.  After all, a country is not any different from a 
person, a family or an institution - all need emotional support.  
Canada needs emotional support, not just now, but everyday, in good 
and in bad times.

If you would like to help with this task, take a look at the attached 
documentation and see how and why a group of Members of Parliament is 
appealing and reaching out to all Canadians to come forward, to speak 
out and to tell them how Canadians can promote and celebrate the 
greatness that is Canada.  

All the information you need, including names, addresses and 
telephone and fax numbers are included in the attached documentation. 
 You are invited to join the celebration and share the experience of 
boasting about Canada.


Yours sincerely,

John Harvard
Chair
Standing Committee Canadian Heritage




STANDING COMMITTEE ON 		    COMIT� PERMANENT DU
CANADIAN HERITAGE 	          PATRIMOINE CANADIEN

news release                      communiqu�


HOUSE COMMITTEE TO STUDY CANADIAN UNITY AND IDENTITY
Ideas Sought on How to Celebrate Canada


Ottawa, November 14, 1995 -- The House of Commons Committee on 
Canadian Heritage is appealing and reaching out to all Canadians to 
come forward, to speak out and to tell the members of the Committee 
how Canadians can promote and celebrate the greatness that is Canada. 
 

The study seeks to identify concrete means through which Canadians, 
from all regions and all linguistic and cultural backgrounds, can 
better communicate with one another, develop a fuller understanding 
and awareness of each other, and celebrate the common values, 
aspirations and pride which bind us together as a country.

�Canadians must learn new ways to feel confident about this country� 
said the Chairman, John Harvard, M.P., in announcing the study.  He 
went on to say �We must find and develop new ways to express that 
confidence in ourselves and in Canada.  After all, a country is not 
any different from a person, a family or an institution - all need 
emotional support.  Canada needs emotional support, not just now, but 
everyday, in good and bad times.�

The members of the Committee are of the opinion that Canadians have 
been asking what can be done outside of the political arena to keep 
Canada together and to strengthen our Confederation.  The Committee 
is seeking ways, concrete means to learn more about ourselves and to 
celebrate the history, the traditions, the values and the successes 
of Canada.

The members of the Committee believe that they can help focus this 
search by acting as a receiver and reporter of ideas.  The Committee 
will welcome the imaginative and inimitable ideas from all Canadians, 
everywhere.  The basic questions which the Committee has drawn up as 
a guide to this dialogue are contained in the attached Terms of 
Reference.

Enquiries, letters, submissions and comments are welcome, in any 
format and should be submitted on or prior to Friday, January 19, 
1996 to:

Mr. John Harvard, M.P.	or
Committee Chairman
774 Confederation Building
Ottawa, Ontario   K1A 0A6
Fax:  (613) 992-3199
	Mrs. Danielle Belisle
Committee Clerk
646 Wellington Building
Ottawa, Ontario   K1A 0A6
Fax:  (613) 992-7974	
For further information, please contact:

Tel.:  (613) 995-5609	Tel.:  (613) 996-0506	


						- 30 -




			STUDY OF CANADIAN UNITY AND IDENTITY:
					TERMS OF REFERENCE


OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

		The objective of the study would be to identify concrete means 
through which Canadians, from all regions and all linguistic and 
cultural backgrounds, can better communicate with one another, 
develop a fuller understanding and awareness of each other, and 
celebrate the common values, aspirations and pride which bind us 
together as a country.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

		In order to accomplish the study's objective, the process would be 
guided by the following principles:

the means identified should originate from the grassroots, community level;
	
the means identified should be supported by voluntarism, the private 
sector, or public-private partnerships; and
	
the means identified should be of a non-partisan, non-political nature.
BASIC QUESTIONS TO BE EXAMINED

		In seeking to accomplish the study's objective, the participants 
would need to address some of the following basic questions:

What types of action could be taken by individuals, the private 
sector, or by governments?
	
How should the proposed actions be financed or funded?
	
How could children and youth, in particular, become involved in 
fostering and promoting Canadian unity and identity?
	
How could federal institutions which are already mandated to foster 
and promote certain aspects of Canadian unity or identity improve 
their program delivery?

ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE

		The role of the Committee in carrying out this study would be:

to provide a public, non-partisan venue in which to initiate a 
dialogue among Canadians;
	
to act as the receiver of ideas; and
	
to draw up a list of ideas and proposals on which Canadians might act upon.

POSSIBLE WITNESSES

Religious, student and labour groups (e.g., the Canadian Council of 
Churches, the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, the Canadian 
Jewish Congress, the Canadian Labour Congress, the Canadian Teachers' 
Federation, provincial associations of school trustees, the Canadian 
Federation of Students and the Canadian Association of University 
Teachers);
	
Social groups (e.g., Rotary, Kiwanis, Richelieu, Knights of Columbus);
	
Groups involved in cross cultural exchanges within Canada;
	
Associations of mayors or municipalities and Chambers of Commerce;
	
Representative of the cultural industries (e.g., book and magazine 
publishers, radio and television broadcasters, cable television 
operators, sound, film and video producers);
	
Creative and performing artists;
	
Representatives of official language minorities;
	
Representatives of cultural groups;
	
Individuals; and
	
Officials of federal departments and agencies.


OTTAWA -- 9 NOVEMBER 1995