Hon. Senator Martin: Honourable senators, I ask leave to respond to the Speech from the Throne, with all my heart, full of respect, gratitude and hope.
During the remarks, Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada expressed deep concern for Canadians as we face a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty. The global credit crunch has dragged the world into a crisis whose pull we cannot escape. Canadians face a difficult year, perhaps several difficult years; yet, in the middle of such uncertainty, Canadians are able to celebrate progress toward equality for women. This week marks International Women's Week, a week to commemorate the struggles and successes of those women who paved the way so that I may freely rise in this chamber and celebrate their accomplishments.
Canadians also take time to celebrate our current leaders, such as Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, who is an important role model not only for Canadian women but also for women of Haiti and women around the world.
Each year at this time, Canadians reflect on current challenges and consider future steps in achieving equality for all women in all aspects of their lives.
In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to proclaim a day for women's rights and international peace. Following the United Nations' lead, Canada chose March 8 to celebrate International Women's Day. This is International Women's Week.
This year the theme is strong leadership, strong women, strong world equals equality, reflecting the government's firm belief that increasing women's participation and access to leadership roles and opportunities will help women and girls reach their full potential and help build a more prosperous Canada.
Canadian women have made enormous strides. The current Conservative government has the highest percentage of women in cabinet in Canadian history. Ministers Rona Ambrose, Leona Aglukkaq, Diane Finley, Bev Oda, Josée Verner, Diane Ablonczy, Lynne Yelich, Helena Guergis, Gail Shea, Lisa Raitt and Parliamentary Secretaries Alice Wong, Shelly Glover and Sylvie Boucher are models of strong women who are leading by example.
Of course, I would be remiss, honourable senators, if I did not mention our highly respected Senate leader and cabinet minister, the Honourable Senator Marjory LeBreton, as well as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Senator Claudette Tardif. I must also express my respect for the distinguished women of our Senate caucus, paying particular attention to the Chair of our Human Rights Committee, Senator Raynell Andreychuk; my Senate buddy, Senator Nancy Ruth; and my seatmate and former Olympian, Senator Nancy Greene Raine. I am the envy of many of her fans. I also have a phobia of skiing, and Senator Raine has offered to teach me.
Around great women are equally great gentlemen. In our Conservative caucus, and especially our Senate caucus, they are all great men. I must especially acknowledge my sponsor, the one and only Senator Gerry St. Germain, or as my best friend Nancy's Falcone's daughters, Taylor and Julia, endearingly refer to him, "the Duke."
It is a fitting name for a man who reminds them of their own Nono, or grandfather, Tony Mior. They both possess the qualities of uncompromising integrity, steely grit, tireless commitment to family and friends and, of course, a bit of swagger, which have earned them the respect of many.
Senator St. Germain, thank you for taking me under your protective wing.
Thank you, honourable senators, for welcoming me so warmly and so instantly, for your kind words, generosity of spirit, and for showing me, through your authenticity, that being my best true self is the key to a successful and meaningful tenure in the Senate.
I must add my resounding words of thanks to the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Paul Bélisle, and his staff in various departments, the senators' staff, the constables and the pages, who contribute much to the Senate of Canada.
Your impeccable professionalism is admirable. Thank you for helping me get settled in Ottawa.
Like our Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, a leader of great character and clarity of vision can empower men and women to answer the call to action, to serve their country and put themselves in harm's way to protect others. Promoting the leadership and equality of women and girls, the Government of Canada is continuing the Canadian tradition of ensuring that women have the opportunity to participate fully in Canada's social, cultural, economic and democratic life. In asking me to serve in the Senate of Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper created an opportunity for me to give Metro Vancouver a voice at the governing table and add to the collective voice of other British Columbians, including Honourable Senator Richard Neufeld, former British Columbia Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and Honourable Senator Larry Campbell, the former Mayor of Vancouver, who, for the record, got my vote.
One day during the last federal campaign, an elderly gentlemen said to me, "You know that in the past you could not be doing what you are doing now for two reasons: Because you are a woman and because you are Asian."
Honourable senators, on this day of International Women's Week, I pay tribute to all the courageous women of the suffrage movement and to Agnes Macphail, the only woman elected to the House of Commons in 1921, the first year in which women had the right to vote.
I also honour Douglas Jung, the first Conservative Canadian parliamentarian of Chinese descent, elected in 1957, whose biographic documentary, entitled I am the Canadian Delegate, truly inspired me during my own political journey. Douglas Jung and the pioneers of his heritage community built the railroads and ventured down untrodden paths so that others and I could follow.
Honourable senators, 88 years after women won the right to vote and 52 years after the first Asian served in Canada's Parliament, Prime Minister Stephen Harper made history in Canada, in Korea and around the world by appointing the first Canadian female senator of Korean heritage — me, Yonah Kim Martin. I have been told that my appointment was celebrated across Canada, in Korea and around the world as I am the first Korean outside of Korea to serve in the Senate at the federal level.
I also stand proudly as "Martin," which is my husband's family name. The Martins and his mother's side, the Elliots, have deep roots in British Columbia and Manitoba, respectively. My husband's great uncle, the late Eric Martin, was the former Health Minister of British Columbia, who served with former Premier W.A.C. Bennett.
I stand before you today, honourable senators, as a daughter of two great nations: Canada, my home, and Korea, the place of my birth.
Honourable senators, I am a proud Canadian of Korean heritage. I am here because of the resilience of the Korean people and all those who came before me. I am here because of the dynamic Korean Canadian community, without whom there would be no foundation on which to stand. There would be no need for a non-profit organization like Corean Canadian Coactive Society, or C3, which I co-founded to bridge communities and which naturally helped me become the leader that I am today.
I was born in Seoul, Korea, in 1965, just 10 years after the signing of the armistice of the Korean War. In 1965, Korea was a poor, developing country. Our washroom was a hole in the ground, and I remember sharing one room with my entire family, sleeping snugly against my mother on the floor to keep warm during the biting winters. Today, it is the eleventh strongest economy in the world, with figure skater Yu-Na Kim winning the 2009 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships; the Hyundai Genesis winning the 2009 American and Canadian Car of the Year; and Korean dramas and pop idols topping the charts all through Asia and parts of North America in what is called the "Korean wave," or hallyu.
The Korean Canadian community is one of the fastest growing communities in all major cities in Canada. Sandy Lee, a minister of the Northwest Territories and the first Korean Canadian woman elected to Canadian public office, has observed that no matter where one goes in Canada, even in the most remote towns and villages, one will find a Korean family operating a motel or business.
Barry Devolin, Assistant Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, who taught in the port city of Busan, Korea, believes that this is true because from his observations, he knows Koreans to be industrious and never afraid of work. They possess an entrepreneurial spirit and make any business work by working that much harder. I know many of my friends' parents who operated grocery stores and dry cleaning businesses, working 16-hour days, seven days a week. Many of us, the "1.5/2nd" generation Korean Canadians, as we call ourselves, grew up watching our parents work selflessly and tirelessly. We have become self-professed workaholics ourselves.
This is one of the core reasons I have faith in our party. The fierce determination and work ethic that I inherently possess, I have seen matched in members of our Conservative government and caucus, like Minister Jason Kenney, who has attended more than 500 community events to date. Someone needs to tell him there are only 365 days a year. He is truly amazing.
With similar amazing indomitable spirit and resilience, Korea has risen from the ashes of war in only half a century to become one of the G20 nations of the world. By the time World War II ended in 1945, Japan had occupied Korea for 36 years. Hundred of thousands remained or were imprisoned; tens of thousands lost their lives in their fight for freedom and independence.
March 1, 2009, marked the ninetieth anniversary of the march for independence of Koreans from Japanese colonialism. It is fitting to honour a 16-year-old girl named Yoo, Kwon Sun, known as the Korean Joan of Arc, and thousands of others who willingly gave their lives for their nation. She was not afraid to die for what she believed in. Her spirit, her love of country and her burning desire for freedom and independence for those who are subjugated around the world is like that of the brave men and women of the Canadian military, past and present.
Honourable senators, there are no words to express the indebtedness and respect that an entire nation feels toward the veterans of the Korean War. The Korean Canadian community across Canada, in solidarity with Koreans in Korea and around the world, will never forget how more than 26,000 Canadian soldiers answered a call to serve, to fight alongside other United Nations forces for a strange people in a foreign land across an ocean thousands of miles from Canada.
The Korean War Memorial in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia, stands as a reminder of our undying gratitude and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. Senators, 516 Canadians died on Korean soil. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and millions of Koreans also lost their lives, but my parents survived. I am here because of their sacrifice. I owe my very existence to those who served and those who died in the Korean War.
Allow me now, honourable senators, to give you a glimpse into my parents' epic journey of courage, survival and love, set in the backdrop of war.
As the great Chinese philosopher, Confucius, said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
My father, Lee Sung Kim, was born in Pyongyang, the present capital of North Korea. During the Korean War, my father fled south to escape the invasion of communist forces from the North, but my grandmother and my aunt, who was nine months pregnant at the time, were separated from the rest of the family. Tragically, he never saw them again.
Nearly 60 years later, and only in his frail state leading up to his eventual death last spring, did my father's tears flow for the loss of his youth and the longing to see his mother, the grandmother I never knew, but from whom I inherited her strength and
My mother's journey began on one of the Japanese islands where she, Kye Soon Kwon, was born into one of the wealthiest families. Due to growing unrest, my grandparents decided to return to their native Korea. Not everyone in my mother's family survived the long voyage on a ship my grandfather had purchased for the dangerous trip. My mother's family went from riches to rags more than once due to the volatile waves of war.
Fast forward to 1961. My mother tells me that on the day that she went to meet my father for their first introduction, she sent her best friend to tell another suitor that her answer was no to his proposal of marriage. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and" she "took the one less travelled," which has made all the difference.
My parents, like so many, lost nearly everything yet found one another because of war. How else would a man born in North Korea and a woman born in Japan ever meet? The answer, of course, is destiny.
Our father's dreams and hopes brought us to Canada, a nation that has afforded us many opportunities to reap the blessings of a truly democratic nation, where our freedom, justice and the rule of law are principles that we value and uphold.
Honourable senators, I know that everything that has happened before now is a prelude to this moment. I am here as a fulfillment of my parents' destinies and a fulfillment of my own. It is with extreme honour and pride that I represent the beautiful province of British Columbia, particularly Metro Vancouver, which our Prime Minister has called the jewel of the West Coast. It is, indeed.
Honourable senators, 2009 is a year to surely be recorded in history as one of the most notable for British Columbia. For instance, Wayne Wright, Mayor of New Westminster, were he here, and my friend and a proud New Westminster community leader, Lorraine Brett, who is, would proudly tell you that their royal city, being the oldest in Western Canada and the first capital of British Columbia, is celebrating its one-hundred fiftieth anniversary.
Coquitlam is the oldest French-speaking city in Canada outside Quebec. Mayor Richard Stewart can prove it. The city just celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Mayor Joe Trasolini of Port Moody would want me to state for the record that his city is equally historic, just like its founder, Colonel Moody, and is one of the most picturesque cities that inspires wellness and artists and is befitting of its claim as the City of the Arts.
In July, half a year in advance of the 2010 Olympics, the world is converging in the cities of Burnaby and Vancouver with the World Police and Fire Games. The City of Burnaby and the organizing team, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia, are preparing to welcome the world to those highly anticipated games.
As a long-time resident of Vancouver, I am so proud of my city and all the cities of Metro Vancouver. I am especially proud of the rich cultural diversity that is the very fabric of the West Coast.
Alas, honourable senators, I share with you one of my personal stories to illustrate my deep conviction that all that you can and will become you are already. As we age, we do not get older; we become more and more ourselves.
My story is from the first day of school in Vancouver in the spring of 1972. It was a small annex that only housed kindergarten and grade 1 students. I entered the grade 1 class from holding my father's hand. It was warm and slightly rough. He spoke in his English, as it was his major, let go of my hand and nudged me forward toward a smiling woman with light hair. She was pretty and she was smiling warmly.
When I walked into the classroom, all the children looked so foreign to me — their hair colour, their eyes, which scanned my face and body, and I felt self-conscious. Some were smiling. I sat at a desk and the teacher opened a book in front of me that had a picture with lots of lines, circles and dots. It looked like the English that my father had shown me in his books, but I did not know any of it. Then I heard my name. The teacher motioned me to come to the front of the class. She was smiling. I got up and was soon standing in front of the class. Everyone was staring at me. The teacher pointed her index finger up into the air, then pointed to the three bears on the page and said, "How many?" I stared at her finger, which was still pointing down at the littlest bear. Then she pointed upward again and down onto the page a second time and repeated, "How many?" Her voice was louder, and she had spoken slower, enunciating each syllable.
Well, I thought, I heard you the first time; I do not need to be told twice what to do. Just as I watched her doing it twice, I pointed my finger upward into the air and then down onto the page and pointed to each bear exactly as she had done it and repeated, "How many?"
The room erupted with sounds of laughter and noise that sounded more like snickering, and I knew, even at that tender age of 7, that they were laughing at me, even the teacher.
I do not remember what happened next, but I remember the view from under the front stairs of the school. I sat crouched under the stairs, hiding from the students, watching the very foreign world outside, wishing I could go back home to Korea, where I could go back to my grandfather, back to my friends at school, back to my class where I could be president, back where I understood.
What I did not understand at that moment was that within a year, I would learn English well enough to keep up with everyone else and eventually make lots of friends.
I would be school president in grade 12, major in English and teach in high schools, and one day in the distant future, be given the honour to represent my region and province in the Canadian Senate.
Honourable senators, I am sharing the story with you today, as I have shared with thousands of students for the past 21 years, to inspire, to instil hope and to encourage them to study and work hard to become what they can and will become. We all have a story of perseverance, and in sharing our stories, we learn from one another and we break down the walls that get in the way of building meaningful relationships.
A teacher is as much a student as she is a facilitator of learning. Every single student has taught me something. My greatest teachers, other than my parents, are my husband, Doug Martin, and my daughter, Kiana, who is presently 13 going on 20. Their love and support sustain me. We as a family accept both the blessings and the sacrifices we must make in order for me to serve in the Senate, as we live thousands of miles apart for a portion of the year. I am grateful to so many people, too many to list by name.
This is International Women's Week and March 8 is International Women's Day around the world. In Canada we celebrate our achievements and realize there is still so much work for all of us to do in ensuring that no woman, man or child suffers under oppression in our global village, that those of us enjoying our liberties and safe democracies use our voice to speak up for the rights of women and children everywhere. On International Women's Day, let each of us reflect on how we can support our brave men and women in the Canadian Forces who serve to ensure that families around the globe may also enjoy freedom: freedom of speech, free will, freedom to practice their faith and respect their neighbour's rights.
How do we know if we have succeeded? The philosopher-poet Ralph Waldo Emerson defined success in a way that is simple and easy to measure ". . . to know even one life has breathed easier because we have lived. This is to have succeeded."
Honourable senators, let us continue to lead with intention and lead with right action. Let us govern with principle and purpose so that we are truly successful as individuals, as communities and as a nation.