Bill C-238

1st Session, 40th Parliament,

57 Elizabeth II, 2008

house of commons of canada

BILL C-238

An Act to establish a Holocaust Monument in the National Capital Region

Whereas, there is no public monument to honour all of the victims and Canadian survivors of the Holocaust in the National Capital Region;

Whereas, the Holocaust shook the foundations of modern civilization with its crimes against humanity;

Whereas it is important to ensure that the Holocaust continues to have a permanent place in our nation’s collective memory;

Whereas we have an obligation to honour the memory of Holocaust victims as part of our collective resolve to never forget;

Whereas the establishment of a national monument shall forever remind Canadians of one of the darkest chapters in human history and the dangers of state-sanctioned hatred and of anti-Semitism;

And whereas a national monument shall act as a tool to help future generations learn about the root causes of the Holocaust and its consequences in order to help prevent future acts of genocide;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

1. This Act may be cited as the Holocaust Monument Act.

2. The following definitions apply in this Act.

“Council” means the Holocaust Monument Development Council established by the Minister under section 4.

“Minister” means the Minister responsible for the National Capital Act.

“Monument” means the Holocaust Monument established under section 3.

“public land” means an area of land owned by the Crown that is accessible to the public at all times.

3. A Holocaust Monument shall be established to commemorate the victims and Canadian survivors of the Holocaust.

4. The Minister shall establish a council, to be referred to as the Holocaust Monument Development Council, to be composed of not more than 10 members.

5. (1) The Minister shall hold an open application process whereby members of the public who possess a strong interest in, connection to, or familiarity with the Holocaust may apply to the Minister to become a Council member.

(2) The members of the Council are not entitled to be paid any remuneration for acting as Council members.

(3) The Council shall adopt by-laws to carry out its functions under this Act.

6. (1) The Minister, in cooperation with the Council, shall oversee the planning and design of the Monument and shall choose a suitable area of public land in the National Capital Region for the Monument to be located.

(2) The Minister, in cooperation with the Council, shall engage in public consultation and shall take into account the recommendations of the public when making any decision under subsection (1).

7. The Minister shall be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the Monument.

8. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada may assist the Council in the performance of its functions under this Act.

9. The Monument shall be completed not later than three years after this Act comes into force.