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From YouTube: FEBRUARY 9 2022 Statements Coralee Oakes
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
A
Member
for
caribou
north.
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker.
Today.
I
rise
to
lend
my
voice
toward
an
important
push
for
diversity,
inclusion
and
awareness
and
I'm
speaking
of
black
history
month.
This
february
is
an
important
opportunity
to
honor
and
recognize
the
significant
accomplishments
and
contributions
to
our
province
by
the
people
of
african
descent.
Throughout
our
history,
black
canadians
have
played
vital
roles
in
building
our
province
and
country
all
while
facing
racism
and
discrimination
in
their
daily
lives.
A
I
believe
it
is
our
collective
responsibility
to
raise
black
voices
and
to
learn
black
stories
stories
like
that
of
eleanor
collins,
vancouver's.
First,
lady
of
jazz,
she
was
the
first
canadian
woman
to
have
her
own
national
television,
show
cbc
tvs.
The
eleanor
show
she
championed
the
values
of
equality
and
acceptance
and
is
considered
a
civic
leader
and
pioneer
in
the
development
of
british
columbia's,
music
industry
or
importantly,
for
this
chamber,
the
honorable
rosemary
brown
was
the
first
black
woman
to
be
elected
to
a
provincial
legislature
in
canada,
representing
the
constituency
of
vancouver
burrard.
A
She
was
elected
as
a
member
to
sit
in
this
chamber
in
1972
and
during
her
14
years
as
an
mla
brown
introduced
legislation
to
remove
sexism
and
racism
from
the
bc,
education
curriculum
to
reduce
discrimination
based
on
gender
or
marital
status,
and
to
advance
human
rights
in
british
columbia.
This
year's
theme
is
february
and
forever
celebrating
black
history.
Today
and
every
day
it
is
with
that
focus.