He observed the construction site and, the hiring selection and saw safety infractions. Many reforms were brought into federal government offices. Later, he sat quietly in the Senate when Liberal senators from that community remained silent while one of
them castigated my husband for not mentioning that many Italians wear tuxedos and fashionable dresses.
The Hon. Jack Pickersgill , one - time Minister of Immigration, mentions in his biography that my husband was outstanding and unique in his rapport with minorities. He was the first public person to address an annual reunion of Japanese - Canadians
who , together with their families ,had been interned during W.W.II. He was presented with a touching poem by the Japanese. It had a permanent place on the wall of his office until that office was bolted by colleagues who were completely ignorant about his work.
He was proud to be a member of many national ethnic organizations and of the national ethnic press associaton. He participated on the special volunteer committees on medicare and on contributory pensions, set up by Hon. Walter Gordon and chaired by businessman David Stanley. These committees presented their solidly researched proposals to PM Lester Pearson's cabinet. My husband helped in fighting them through the Liberal convention, despite Mitchell Sharp and his supporters. He was the chairman of the immigration policy committe at the National Liberal Convention when fairer and more equitable procedures in the selection of immigrants were adopted. At the time, the Senate was considered to be the defender of provincial and minority rights.
Today, it is neither. Provincial premiers neither need or rely on senate input. Minority groups,with the entrenched Charter of he first ombudsman's office. The first ombudsman was former M.P. Arthur Maloney, a renowned criminal lawyer and a personal friend of ours. He argued with us on many occasionsthat senators should stress an ombudsman's role since there is no suchoffice federally. As he saw it, the Senate's role of repeating bills from the House of Commons was tedious and in need of change. My husband agreed. One day, the senators may realize that my husband was not "in contempt'. Instead ,he was showing the Senate that it must widen it's role to earn public respect. I will be glad to answer any questions about my husband or about our government.