加拿大總理哈珀(Stephen Harper)5月30日出席在「讚頌自由」(Tribute to Liberty)的籌款晚宴。(艾文/大紀元)
加拿大在整個20世紀成了逃離共產主義政府人們的避難所
加拿大總理哈珀(Stephen Harper)5月30日在「讚頌自由」(Tribute to Liberty)的籌款晚宴上，表示「共產主義是最致命的思想瘟疫之一」，並感謝「讚頌自由」在首都渥太華建造共產主義受害者紀念碑(Memorial to Victims of Communism)的努力。
2008年，「讚頌自由」成立的目的是要在渥太華建造1座共產主義受害者紀念碑。2010年，聯邦政府在施政報告中明確表示支持這項目，政府的出資額，將與民間籌得的善款一致。
總理在演講中，感謝所有該項目的支持者及捐款人。他說：「你們一直在努力實現的目標，對過去和現在的加拿大人都是重要的，對下一代尤其重要」。因為必須提醒後人，「他們所繼承的自由與和平，是經過奮鬥和犧牲贏回來的」。
「歷史清楚告訴我們，承諾烏托邦的政治意識形態都走向反面，導致人間地獄。「他說，「這就是為什麼加拿大需要這紀念碑，為什麼我們如此感激『讚頌自由』的努力，因為它提醒我們，那些最致命的思想瘟疫之一—共產主義的受害者們的名字和故事。」
共產主義帶來人類災難
據估計，共產主義在100年內殺害了超過1億人。「讚頌自由(Tribute to Liberty)」稱，加拿大有800萬人曾生活在共產體制的國家或與之有關係。
「在20世紀，共產主義的有毒意識形態和無情的行為逐漸蔓延到世界各地，」哈珀說，「其結果是不折不扣的災難」。1億的受害者不只是數據，「他們是母親、父親、兒子、女兒、朋友和鄰居。」
籌款晚宴主持人赫爾加維克(Robert Herjavec)是加拿大成功商人和電視節目主持人，來自一個共產主義受害者家庭，8歲隨父母從南斯拉夫坐船逃到加拿大。
赫爾加維克說，他們在南斯拉夫時，說共產主義不好的人會被關入監獄。「我父親被關入了監獄」。出獄後他成了更堅定的反共者，「後來他又被21次投入監獄」。
他說，那監獄在一個意思是「白島」的地方，人們對他父親說：「如果你真能回家的話，你絕不會再來這」。「所以，後來他帶着我母親和我，來到了這個偉大的國家。」
「讚頌自由」的網站上已經有很多共產主義受害者的感人故事，它們來自在中國、朝鮮、越南和前蘇聯及東歐等國的受害者。這些故事將被收藏在將來的共產主義受害者紀念碑內。
加拿大不忘歷史教訓
總理稱，加拿大不會忘記歷史的教訓。他在演講中說：「我們的政府已經吸取過去的教訓。我們已經使用這些加拿大人的例子和經驗，指導我們現在的行動，建立我們的外交政策。」
「今天，我們的外交政策體現我們的最高價值。「他說，加拿大捍衛和推廣對於人類社會至關重要的基本自由，我們反對任何地方，任何人威脅這些價值。」
哈珀在演講中提到，在整個20世紀，加拿大成了逃離共產政府的人們的避難所，他們在加拿大找到了「安全、自由、機會和希望」，並勤奮工作，幫助建設加拿大。
赫爾加維克說，他父親在加拿大做各種體力活，通常做2份工作。有一次父親被裁員，當他提醒父親可以申請失業金時，他父親說：「我絕不會申請失業金，因為這國家不欠我任何東西，但給了我機會。」
總理稱，他同意聖若望保祿二世(Saint, John Paul II)所說「20世紀是眼淚的世紀」。哈珀說：「在這個世紀裏，巨大的邪惡——軍國主義、法西斯主義和共產主義，扼殺了光明和自由、民主、公正的生活。」
「已經生活得足夠久的人會知道，邪惡的形式多種多樣，似乎在將他們自己一次又一次重塑。」哈珀說，「但是，不管它自稱什麼--納粹主義、馬克思列寧主義，或恐怖主義，他們都有一個共同點：破壞，導致人類自由終結。」
加拿大總理哈珀「讚頌自由」英文演講全文如下：
Toronto, Ontario
30 May2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today delivered the following remarks at the Tribute to Liberty Dinner in Toronto:
「Thank you very much.
「Thank you, Senator Ngo for that kind introduction, and thank you all, ladies and gentlemen, for that very warm welcome.
「Distinguished guests, colleagues from the Parliament of Canada, ladies and gentlemen.
「We know the reason why we’re gathered together this evening, but let me briefly share with you the how.
「In2008, Tribute to Liberty approached our Government with an idea and a question.
「First, the idea: to help construct a monument in our Nation’s Capital that would honour for all time the hundreds of millions of men, women and children who have struggled and continue to struggle against the tyranny of communism, those who lived and those who, tragically, did not.
「And second: would our Government work with them in carrying out this vision.
「Now you already know our answer.
「In2010 in the Speech from the Throne, our Government made known our strong and clear support for Tribute to Liberty’s vision of a memorial to those who have suffered under communism.
「Let me take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to Tribute to Liberty, in particular, to you, Board Chair Klimkowski, to current Treasurer, past Chair Forstmanis, to the entire board, to all of the donors.
「The goal you have been working towards is important to Canadians, past and present, but it is especially so for future generations.
「For they must be forever reminded– forever– that the freedom and peace they stand to inherit was earned through struggle and sacrifice, and must always be cherished as a precious and unique thing.
「There are others who also deserve– some of my colleagues I know who also deserve– special thanks: Jason Kenney and the members of his team who have been invested in this project from the very beginning, John Baird, Shelly Glover, Senator Linda Frum, certainly Senator Yonah Kim-Martin, Senator Ngo, and of course my thanks to each and every one of you, because I know each and every one here has been a supporter.
「Thank you for your generous and ongoing support.
「And give all the organizers a very big hand for what they』ve done.
「Now friends, our work is nearly done.
「In fact, the Jury will be selecting the winning monument design team in a matter of months.
「And so, as they– as you– carry out this noble task, know that you have the admiration and appreciation of Canadians.
「For you mark a chapter in human history that is truly harrowing.
「During the20th century, communism’s poisonous ideology and ruthless practice slowly bled into countries all around the world, on almost every continent.
「The result was nothing short of catastrophic.
「More than one hundred million souls were lost, an almost incomprehensible number.
「We must never forget that these are not numbers, they are not statistics.
「They were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbours.
「Their futures, their potential, their hopes and dreams, were stolen from them.
「Our hearts break for those who suffered and we mourn for those who were crushed.
「In Canada, we feel this pain so acutely because nearly one quarter of all Canadians were either held captive by communism’s chains or are the sons and daughters of those who were.
「Indeed, throughout the20th century, Canada became a haven for those fleeing communist governments, as Robert described to us, and a new home to those who wanted to live in freedom.
「And so, over nearly100 years they came– your grandparents, mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters– you came, from Russia, Estonia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Cambodia, the former Czechoslovakia, the former Yugoslavia, the former East Germany– I could go on– Vietnam, China, North Korea, Cuba, Albania and others.
「And when these freedom-seekers arrived, many having risked their lives to get here, instead of communism’s oppression, they found Canadian safety.
「Instead of communism’s restrictions, they found Canadian freedom.
「Instead of communism’s grim determinism, they found Canadian opportunity.
「Instead of communism’s fear, they found Canadian hope.
「Safety, freedom, opportunity, hope.
「That was Canada.
「And that is still our Canada today.
「Now since arriving here– once again I love the story Robert told us– but since arriving here these men and women worked hard.
「They raised strong families.
「They』ve upheld and promoted Canadian values.
「And through their innumerable contributions from coast to coast to coast, they have helped make Canada a better country.
「And friends, just as Canada combated communism at home by serving as a safe-haven for hundreds of thousands of immigrants and refugees, abroad, we vigorously defended freedom wherever it was threatened.
「Canadians know that the dangers and difficulties of the world do not go away simply by closing our eyes to them.
「And so with open eyes and a desire to do what is right and good, Canadians have led.
「During the Cold war, Canada was there on the frontier between East and West Germany.
「During those challenging years of one of my predecessors, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, stood shoulder to shoulder with the giants, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, President Ronald Reagan, and Pope, now Saint John Paul II, until the Cold War was successfully and decisively concluded.
「We threw our support and strength behind the people of the Baltic republics for50 years, refusing to recognize their illegal annexation by the Soviet Union until they were finally liberated, as were the other captive nations of Eastern and Central Europe.
「Canada was a refuge for tens of thousands of Chinese fleeing the horrors of the Cultural Revolution.
「We welcomed more than sixty thousand Vietnamese refugees- the boat people- after the Fall of Saigon, as already been said including our first member of the Upper House of Vietnamese decent, Senator Ngo.
「We spoke out in those days against anti-Semitism in the Communist world, against the expulsion of Jewish citizens and against the horrific mass deportation of Crimean Tatars, the70th anniversary of which we mark with sorrow, and with reminders unfortunately, this very month.
「Canada offered shelter to the Czech writer, Josef Skvorecky, and of course, to the Soviet defector Igor Gouzenko, who gave the west one of the very first warnings of the dangers to come in the Cold War, and who actually lived just a few blocks south of Parliament Hill.
「Canada was there in1991 as the first western country to recognize a newly independent Ukraine and friends, Canada is still there for the people of Ukraine.
「In fact, there is no western country that has been closer and had closer ties to Ukraine than Canada, and you must know that we are all fiercely proud of that.
「Since the late19thCentury, we received with open arms hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian settlers.
「We called the Holodomor what it was, a mass genocide by starvation.
「And in2008, at the initiative of my colleague James Bezan who’s here tonight, we passed an Act of Parliament declaring the fourth Saturday of November to be Holodomor Memorial Day in this country.
「Now ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to return to Ukraine in just a moment, because the current situation there has serious and far-reaching implications for peoples everywhere.
「But before I do, let me explain why it is that Canadians vigorously promote freedom, why so many Canadians have been willing to give their lives defending it.
「It’s simple, really.
「Freedom, for everyone, is at the heart of what it means to be Canadian.
「Canadians have a long history of guarding our freedoms at home.
「And we have an equally proud history of defending freedom abroad.
「Another one of my predecessors, Prime Minister St. Laurent, who served in the early post-war years, put it well when he said, and I quote:『The vigour and liberty of our national way of life are the foundations for playing our role in the Cold War.』
「A statement, I would add, that applies equally to virtually all of Canada’s historic military engagements abroad.
「Now I must pause here, however, with immense regret to note that Canada has not always lived up to these high aspirations.
「There have been times when we』ve fallen short, heeded the calls of those who preferred to see Canada sidelined, to see Canada serve as a neutral bystander instead of a principled actor.
「Those who preached moral-equivalency and who said that Canada should learn to accept totalitarian communism as just another option.
「They were the people who showed blindness to the unparalleled crimes of Maoism in China.
「Indifference in the face of the communist coup against Poland’s Solidarity in1981 and who pushed the so-called Peace Initiative of1984, not long before the Warsaw Pact collapsed.
「Friends, our Government has learned from the past and we have used these Canadian examples and experiences– both proud and shameful– to guide our present actions and shape our foreign policies.
「Today, our foreign policies are informed by our highest values.
「Canada defends and promotes the basic freedoms that are crucial to maintaining human society and we oppose those everywhere who threaten those values.
「Under our Government, Canada has cut support for terrorist-led governments.
「We』ve condemned human rights abuses.
「And, ladies and gentlemen, Canada proudly, resolutely, unequivocally stands with the people of Ukraine.
「Now I just want to add something: I was told a couple of weeks ago that Mr. Putin made some comments.
「He said he didn’t understand why Harper and Canada cared so much about Ukraine; it’s a long way away, he says.
「The fact that he doesn’t get it tells you there’s a problem.
「Freedom, democracy, justice: that’s what it’s all about for the people of Ukraine.
「A couple of months ago I travelled to Ukraine as some of you know, the first G-7 leader to do so.
「During my visit I had the pleasure of meeting with Prime Minister Yatsenyuk.
「And when we met I shared with him– as I continue to share with my counterparts in the G-7 and beyond– that what is happening today to the millions in Ukraine is both a wake-up call and a call to action.
「Over the last several months, indeed years, the world has watched as President Putin has grown more comfortable with confrontation.
「His boldness has increased since Russian troops first made an open grab for power in Crimea.
「The impact of the Putin regime’s expansionism and militarism extends beyond Ukraine.
「It threatens the security of our Eastern European allies and, by extension, the stability and security of the world.
「Now friends, I cannot predict what these next few months or years hold for Ukraine, for Europe, or for Canada.
「But I do know this: Canadians have always supported freedom and democracy for all people and we will not hold back that support now from the people of Ukraine.
「Canada will do what we have always tried to do, the right thing.
「Now let me just close with this.
「Pope, now Saint, John Paul II referred to the20thCentury as the century of tears.
「And, for countless tens of millions of people, he was right.
「In the course of that century, its great evils– militarism, fascism and communism– snuffed out the lights and the lives of freedom, democracy and justice.
「But just as stars shine more brightly as darkness claims the sky at night, so I believe Canada, the North Star, stood out as these shadows fell across the globe.
「Now those of us who have lived long enough will know that evil comes in many forms and seems to reinvent itself time and again.
「But whatever it calls itself- Nazism, Marxist-Leninism, today, terrorism- they all have one thing in common: the destruction, the end, of human liberty.
「My fear is this: as we move further into the21st century, Canadians, especially new generations, will forget or will not be taught the lessons hard learned and the victories hard earned over the last100 years.
「That they will fall even further in love with ease and convenience.
「And that they will not understand that their rights and their advantages, their peace and their security, were won by people willing to live and die for what is good and right.
「That they will not appreciate how precious and rare our way of life here in Canada today truly is.
「And that they will not recognize these grave threats when they re-appear.
「What history has taught us is one clear thing: that the political ideologies that promise utopia lead to the opposite, hell on earth.
「That’s why Canada needs this monument, and why we are so grateful to the work of Tribute of Liberty that reminds us of the names and the stories of those lost to one of the deadliest ideological plagues ever spread, to communism.
「This monument is part of marking our path as a nation, and, thus, helping to ensure that we do not lose our way.
「Thank you very much.」
- See more at: http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/05/30/statement-prime-minister-canada-toronto-0#sthash.YmAj6b0V.dpuf
