CANADA Debates of the Senate 2nd SESSION . 39th PARLIAMENT . VOLUME 144 . NUMBER 12 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, November 15, 2007 ^ THE HONOURABLE NOËL A. KINSELLA SPEAKER CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates and Publications: Chambers Building, Room 943, Tel. 996-0193 Published by the Senate Available from PWGSC ± Publishing and Depository Services, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S5. Also available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 216 THE SENATE Thursday, November 15, 2007 The Senate met at 1:30 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. The area chosen most frequently for study by both Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals, aged 25 to 44, was that comprised of the Prayers. applied science technologies and trades. The two areas chosen least often were the engineering and applied sciences and the [Translation] mathematical, computer and physical sciences. The percentage of Aboriginals who specialized in the SENATORS' STATEMENTS engineering, mathematical and physical sciences was markedly less than that of the non-Aboriginal population. Only 0.5 per cent of the Aboriginals, compared to 2.1 per cent of the OFFICIAL LANGUAGES non-Aboriginal population, chose to specialize in the engineering and applied sciences; and only 0.7 per cent of the Aboriginal LINGUISTIC POLICY AT population, compared to 2.4 per cent of the non-Aboriginal CANADIAN FORCES BASE BORDEN population, specialized in the mathematical, computer and physical sciences. Hon. Maria Chaput: Honourable senators, the struggle to enable francophones in Canada to live in French in their very own In addition, men and women made different choices in their country is a never-ending one. One often gets the feeling that we areas of study and there were similar patterns in the Aboriginal are taking two steps forward and one step back. In a letter to and non-Aboriginal populations. In both populations, men chose General Hillier, Yves Côté, the National Defence and Canadian the applied technologies and trades at about 10 times the rate for Forces Ombudsman, revealed that, on the military base in women; and men also studied most sciences at much higher rates Borden, recruits: remained unaware of their linguistic rights; did than women, except for the health sciences where women not know how to report problems; had not received support from dominated. However, what was surprising was the relatively the chain of command; were facing longer waiting periods than greater under-representation of Aboriginal women compared to their anglophone peers for occupational training; and were not non-Aboriginal women in the engineering, mathematical, provided meaningful assignments or English language training. computer and physical sciences. Canada's language policy has been in place for nearly 40 years, My key messages were: Aboriginals were under-represented in and it has had a positive impact from coast to coast. In order to the physical sciences — mathematics, computer science, physical make up for lost time, the Canadian Forces will have to and engineering sciences — compared to non-Aboriginals; and modernize their institution to fully integrate both official while it is well known that women are under-represented in the languages. physical sciences, the gender gap was even more pronounced in the Aboriginal population. Today, it is unacceptable to find a francophone who functions What accounts for this low percentage of Aboriginals, exclusively in English in a federal government workplace. especially Aboriginal women, specializing in these sciences? Frankly, it is embarrassing for a bilingual country such as ours. Many theories have been advanced, and it is generally accepted The Canadian Armed Forces have been ignoring the Official that a lack of role models and an unwelcoming or unfriendly Languages Act and getting away with it for far too long. educational environment are important factors. The environment apparently still favours white males. I would like to congratulate Yves Côté for having raised this serious issue, and I hope that he will continue to be in contact Honourable senators, the statistics that I presented reinforce with Graham Fraser, the Commissioner of Official Languages, to the idea that achieving educational equity for Aboriginals and for ensure that everything possible will be done to resolve this women in the engineering, mathematical, computer and physical inequality. sciences will require improving and even transforming the educational environment to ensure that every student can . (1335) succeed and achieve his or her full potential. [English] THE LATE JOHN ARPIN ABORIGINAL REPRESENTATION Hon. Francis William Mahovlich: Honourable senators, I wish IN POST-SECONDARY SCIENCES to take a moment to mark the passing of John Arpin, who died last Thursday, November 8, at the age of 70 after a lengthy battle Hon. Lillian Eva Dyck: Honourable senators, in October I was with cancer. John Arpin was a musician, recording artist and one of the keynote speakers at the Canadian Aboriginal Science composer and was regarded as one of the world's top ragtime and Technology Conference held in Calgary. I spoke about the and among Canada's most innovative musicians. areas of post-secondary study and the gaps in the numbers of Aboriginals, especially women, specializing in the sciences John Arpin was born in Port McNicoll, Ontario. He graduated compared to non-Aboriginals. The data that I analyzed came from the Royal Conservatory of Music at the age of 16 and later from the 2001 Canadian census, and I focused on Saskatchewan. attended the University of Toronto. His first professional November 15, 2007 SENATE DEBATES 217 performances were with fellow music popularizers, including There are initiatives within the Canadian Forces designed to Howard Cable from CBC and Leo Romanelli, who played in eliminate discrimination. However, as indicated by the Canadian summertime bands at the Bigwin Inn up in the Lake of Bays and Forces ombudsman, changing military culture is somewhat like also at the Manoir Richelieu in Murray Bay. changing the course of a ship; it is not something that can be done in an instant. Generations of Canadian children were first introduced to Arpin's piano style through the theme of the popular show, In today's society, some people still believe that women do not Polka Dot Door, where he was a writer, director and performer. belong in the war. These people believe that the presence of CBC radio listeners became familiar with one of his most notable women affects the efficiency of operations. Often, physical and compositions, ``Jogging Along,'' which was the theme song for psychological differences are brought up. Of course there are Peter Gzowski's Morningside program in the late-1970s. differences. However, it has been shown that these differences are not significant constraints. According to experts, women have During the last two decades of his life, Arpin's name graced the management styles and social attitudes that can be effective, for programs of southern Ontario's smaller orchestras, as well as example, in negotiations. These same studies showed that some summer festival events. women are comparable to men when it comes to strength and endurance. Furthermore, it has been suggested that women . (1340) receive extra training sessions to make up for their physical limitations. One of his final public concerts was at Collingwood Music Festival on June 21. In a career that spanned 50 years, Arpin released 67 albums and collected three Juno nominations. The integration of women from here and elsewhere is based on Whether playing his signature ragtime or venturing into jazz, stereotypes that contradict both the willingness of women to Broadway show tunes or even the great arias of opera, John participate and the research on the subject. Despite everything, we Arpin's playing was a model of poise and elegance. He will be can be proud of the gains these women have made. The strength fondly remembered as a great Canadian and a great popularizer these women showed in paving the way and the achievements of of music. women in uniform today give us hope for the future. [Translation] [English] ROLE OF WOMEN IN ARMED FORCES DARFUR Hon. Lucie Pépin: Honourable senators, officers' mess walls at Hon. Yoine Goldstein: Honourable senators, yesterday, in the our military bases and schools are generally covered with course of Senators' Statements, I went over my time, for which photographs honouring only male officers. However, I was I apologize. I did not have a chance to complete what I was pleased to see that this is starting to change. saying. Last week, a colloquium entitled ``Women, Armies and Wars'' I wish to inform honourable senators that you will receive was held at the military college in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, notices for various events from the All-Party Parliamentary providing a platform for dialogue on the role of women and their Group for the Prevention of Genocide and other Crimes Against experience within the armed forces. Humanity. I urge honourable senators to attend these events to make a statement with respect to your concern about what is The Canadian Armed Forces has one of the highest percentage taking place in Darfur. of women to men in the world. In the regular forces, only 17.3 per cent of soldiers are women. However, in Canada, with the exception of the Roman Catholic chaplaincy, women can That point provides a segue to an additional element that I wish enrol in all occupations and corps of the army, even in combat to draw to honourable senators' attention again, the rapidly units. changing situation in Darfur. As honourable senators may be aware, the conflict in the region has escalated significantly this Even more interesting is the fact that more and more women are summer. A dangerous new dimension emerged when one of the penetrating into the command of the Canadian Forces.