The Journey to Freedom Day Act is an Act recognizing April 30 of every year as a national day of commemoration of the exodus of Vietnamese refugees and their acceptance in Canada after the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. This legislation introduced by Senator Ngo will focus the attention of all Canadians on the perilous journey to freedom made by millions of refugees after the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Journey to Freedom Day commemorates this mass exodus and provides a vibrant Vietnamese-Canadian community with the opportunity to recognize the fundamental role that Canadians played in rescuing and welcoming thousands of refugees after the Vietnam War.
Quite simply, The Journey to Freedom Day Act designates April 30 of each year as Journey to Freedom Day in order to:
- Mark the tragic events surrounding the exodus of Vietnamese refugees in search of freedom;
- Pay tribute to all Canadians who rose to the challenge and welcomed thousands of refugees with open arms; and
- Celebrate the incredible contributions that Vietnamese refugees have now made to building our great country.
To read more on the History of the Boat people Click Here.
Please click on the cover to view and download the full Journey to Freedom Day Act in English or the hyperlink for the English-Vietnamese Translation of the act
Legislative Process
Senate proceedings:
- First Reading ENG
- Second Reading ENG
- Senator Ngo’s Journey to Freedom Day Second Reading Speech or listen to the speech here from October 29, 2014.
- Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights ENG
- Third reading and vote ENG
- Senator Ngo’s Journey to Freedom Day Third Reading Speech on December 8, 2014.