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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 16

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 13, 2021 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 16 - Dec/13/21
Mr. Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, Lib.)
  • Dec/13/21 2:14:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a boy, I lived next door to the Polish Consulate in Toronto, and I remember seeing countless demonstrations by the Polish Canadian community in support of Solidarnosc, one of the most well-known and most successful pro-democracy and human rights movements of our time. The communist regime in Poland wanted to crush Solidarnosc and to do that, 40 years ago it imposed martial law. Solidarnosc was banned, borders were closed, tens of thousands of people were arrested and almost 100 people were killed. Today, on the 40th anniversary of martial law in Poland, I rise to commemorate the victims; to pay tribute to the Polish people who continued their struggle for freedom and democracy and the rule of law, values that we all share; and to recognize the tremendous role Canada and Polish Canadians played in supporting Solidarnosc and welcoming many refugees who were fleeing that oppression. The House, in fact, passed a motion unanimously in support of the Polish people at that time. Today, let us honour their memory. Czesc ich pamieci.
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