EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill proclaims the month of April in each year as Genocide Awareness, Commemoration, Prevention and Education Month.

Bill 97 2019

An Act to proclaim Genocide Awareness, Commemoration, Prevention and Education Month

Preamble

Ontario is a place that embraces diversity.

Genocide has affected the lives of many Ontario families and communities. Ontario is home to many religious and ethnic communities who have been persecuted in the past.

In addition to the genocides that either the Legislative Assembly of Ontario or the Parliament of Canada, or both, have recognized, Ontario recognizes the genocides committed against the following communities:

1. The Assyrians-Chaldeans-Syriacs from 1914 to 1922.

2. The Pontian Greeks from 1916 to 1923.

3. The residents of Nanjing from 1937 to 1938.

4. The Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009.

5. The Yazidis in Iraq from 2014 to 2018 under Daesh.

6. Christian populations of Iraq and Syria from 2014 to 2018 under Daesh.

7. The Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar from 2016 to 2017.

The month of April has a connection with a number of genocides. The Holocaust against the Jewish people and the Armenian and Rwandan Genocides began in the month of April. On April 24, 2015, the House of Commons of Canada passed a motion designating April as Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Genocide Awareness, Commemoration, Prevention and Education Month

1 The month of April in each year is proclaimed as Genocide Awareness, Commemoration, Prevention and Education Month.

Commencement

2 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3 The short title of this Act is the Genocide Awareness, Commemoration, Prevention and Education Month Act, 2019.