Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in Canada's House of Commons to speak to the carnage and the tragedy continuing to happen in Gaza. Since I first rose to speak to the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank during the take-note debate on October 16, 2023, more than four months ago, my message has been consistent and very clear: There must be a lasting, endurable ceasefire to end the violence and to p…
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Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month, and I would like to thank all members of Black communities who are making a difference every day in my home of Scarborough Centre. Over the past several years, I have had the opportunity to visit and work with the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals. It is doing such important and impactful work focused on youth workforce development, education an…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to provide information to the members on how the federal government has supported Quebec, and all our provincial, territorial and municipal partners, as we all work together to support newcomers to Canada. Immigration is a shared responsibility that involves the input of provincial, territorial and municipal governments. We also need to continue to …
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Madam Speaker, housing is an important issue, which we are all facing here in Canada, and immigration is one of Canada's greatest strengths. As we continue to face an aging population and see the decline in birth rates, it is very important to welcome newcomers to Canada. At the same time, we need to make sure that we build appropriate housing so that all those who are coming to Canada have a safe…
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Madam Speaker, we consult the Government of Quebec and all the provinces and territories whenever we implement any new programs and policies. Under the Canada-Québec Accord, Quebec has the exclusive authority to determine its immigration levels in line with its ability to welcome and integrate newcomers. We continue to support Quebec. In the last two years, we have provided over $1 billion under t…
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Madam Speaker, immigration is very much needed. My own riding of Scarborough Centre is home to so many new immigrants. People from different parts of the world have called that place home. Whenever I talk to the businesses in my riding, they tell me about the shortages of labour. I have been a member of the immigration committee for over eight years, and I have heard hundreds of testimonies regard…
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Mr. Speaker, for the past few months, there has been a significant rise in hate impacting communities across the country. All of us have a role to play during these difficult times to bring Canadians together. Can the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities share some of the measures we have taken to support Canadians and to encourage unity?
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Mr. Speaker, November 29 is International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people. Given the recent conflict in the region, which has resulted in the deaths of over 14,000 innocent Palestinian civilians, including over 6,000 children, this year’s event is particularly poignant. I continue to call for a permanent ceasefire, for a return of all hostages to their families and for badly needed h…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to present petition e-4652, which was started by a group of human rights students at Carleton University and signed by nearly 12,000 people. Petitioners call our attention to the tragic loss of innocent civilian lives in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, as well as the worrying rise in incidents of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Canada. They call on the Government o…
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Mr. Speaker, since the current conflict in Gaza began, more than 10,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives. Over 4,000 of them are children. More children were killed in Gaza in one month than in any conflict annually since 2019. Eighty-nine UNRWA employees have been killed. This is the highest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict ever. Nearly 40 journalists have died. They were not…
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Madam Speaker, Canadians know and have always believed that immigration is not only good for our economy but is also essential for the future of our communities. There is no doubt that newcomers have been the engine of growth in Scarborough. They start new businesses, take care of our families and contribute significant skills to the fabric of our society. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the …
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Mr. Speaker, I am also really concerned about what is happening domestically, these increasing incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. While we worry about our friends and loved ones overseas, I think it is really important that we must treat each other with patience, kindness and understanding. This is what Canadians are known for. Canadians, I know, are worried. I heard it while I was in my…
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Mr. Speaker, in communities across Canada and in my riding of Scarborough Centre, many Canadians are finding it difficult to find an affordable place to call home. Rather than scapegoating newcomers, we must work to ensure that they be a part of the solution to the housing crisis. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship inform the House of our government's plan to tackle the labo…
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Mr. Chair, let me begin by saying that, like all Canadians, I have watched with horror the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza. Violence and acts of terror are never the way to lasting peace and justice. Hamas is an illegal terrorist group that does not represent or advance the cause of the Palestinian or Muslim people. I condemn the intentional targeting of innocent civilians regardless of their …
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Mr. Speaker, as I said in my speech, it is really important that all parties to a conflict have the responsibility to abide by international law. International law is very clear. Civilians must be protected and must not be the targets. The situation right now is very dire. There are serious shortages of food and water. If there is no water, there is no life in Gaza. Hospitals have run out of vital…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said in my remarks, the only way to break out of this cycle of violence is for Israelis and Palestinians to work together for just peace that recognizes the rights of Israelis and Palestinians, who only want to live in peace, freedom and security. We have a lot of work to do to get there. I hope that Canada plays its role in making sure of its call for lasting peace in that regio…
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Mr. Speaker, every week Canadians are having to spend more and more on groceries just to feed their families. They are having to put off savings and even other essentials in order to keep putting food on the table. We recognize the global supply chain challenges and global inflation, but we need to acknowledge Canadian families are having a hard time right now. Could the Minister of Innovation, Sc…
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Mr. Speaker, over the summer we lost one of Canada's greatest architects, Raymond Moriyama, a proud Japanese Canadian who built his first structure in a B.C. internment camp during the Second World War. He would go on to design some of the most iconic buildings in Canada. These include the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa City Hall, the Bata Shoe Museum, the Toronto Reference Library and the Ontario Sc…
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Mr. Speaker, it is very important that we work together and act now to make life affordable for all Canadians. I heard that very clearly from constituents in my riding during the summertime. People are finding it difficult. That is why it is important that we work together to pass Bill C-56, which would make a difference. That is why the minister of industry called the five CEOs of the major groce…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Winnipeg North. I rise today to speak at second reading to Bill C-56, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act; also known as the affordable housing and groceries act. I believe this is an important and very much needed piece of legislation. Before I get into the specific measures contained in this bill, I would like…
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Mr. Speaker, I had conversations during the summer with my constituents, and they are finding it very difficult to make ends meet. When I talk to them, they tell me what a difference the Canada child benefit and the $10-a-day child care program are making by saving them thousands of dollars each month. I know that dental care is very important. I have been talking to many of my constituents who ha…
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Mr. Speaker, reducing or eliminating the GST from the construction of purpose-built rental units will give relief to people. It will definitely make a difference. I know that prices will not go down just with doing one thing or another thing. We need a comprehensive plan. This is one major step that will really make a difference in making housing more affordable for people.
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Madam Speaker, I agree that there are a lot of advantages to being here together to make sure we serve our constituents, but my question is this: What would he say for those members who, God forbid, have to go through health challenges? Back in February 2018, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Not having the provision of the hybrid Parliament, I was not able to be the voice of my constituents he…
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Mr. Speaker, two years ago, on June 6, in London, Ontario, we lost the Afzaal family to an act of Islamophobic terrorism. Out for a walk in the community they called home, they were targeted for their faith. It hit Muslims hard because it could have been any one of us. Islamophobia in Canada is real. We all have a responsibility to fight it. That is why our government held the first national summi…
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Mr. Speaker, June is Filipino Heritage Month in Canada and I would like to wish a happy Filipino Heritage Month to Canada’s Filipino community. This past weekend, I attended the Filipino Canadian National Congress convention in Halifax with the member for Halifax West, and I was reminded again how this community was making a difference in every corner of Canada. One of the fastest-growing communit…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 16th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Asylum-Seekers at Canada's Border”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
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Mr. Speaker, I have heard concerns from many constituents and members of the Pakistani community in Canada about processing times for temporary resident visas for Pakistani applicants. Currently the IRCC website gives a wait time of 802 days, compared to a few weeks for nearby countries. I know the Minister of Immigration is personally engaged on this issue. Could he please explain why this number…
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Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Heritage Month and I would like to recognize the organizers of the Taste of Manila festival in Toronto. Spearheaded by Rolly Mangante and other leaders in the local Filipino community, the first Taste of Manila street festival to showcase Filipino culture and cuisine was held nearly nine years ago in 2014. It has grown from there in leaps and bounds, attracting more than …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to present petition e-4340. It was signed by 913 Canadians, and they call our attention to the devastating earthquakes that occurred in February in Syria and Turkey. The earthquakes left thousands of people dead, injured or without homes and destroyed critical infrastructure. The petitioners point to the urgent need for aid, and there has been a call by international human righ…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-331, An Act to amend the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act (duty of candour). Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table my private member's bill, Bill C-331, an act to amend the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act on duty of candour. It is the result of widespread public consultations across Canada, including with racialized Canadians, who are more like…
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Mr. Speaker, I always welcome the opportunity to rise in this place on behalf of the good people of Scarborough Centre. Today, I rise to speak to a very important piece of legislation, the budget implementation act, which I believe contains a host of measures that speak to the concerns they share with me every day. When I am attending events, knocking on doors, or meeting with constituents, they o…
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Mr. Speaker, housing is an issue that one government cannot resolve. As the federal government, we are working with provinces and municipalities to make sure that we build more affordable housing. In budget 2023, we have taken some measures to make sure we build more affordable housing, including announcing that financial institutions would be able to start offering tax-free first home savings acc…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her concern in making sure that Canadians have access to affordable housing. Housing is not something that we could resolve in one or two years. Since we came to power in 2015, we have worked on building a national housing strategy, which is a 10-year plan to make sure that we build more affordable housing. In this budget, we have taken certain meas…
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Mr. Speaker, since we came to power in 2015, certain measures that we have taken are really helping to make a difference. They include the Canada child benefit, $10-a-day child care and programs to make sure that we provide more support to students. When I talk to people in my youth council, they tell me how these additional student grants are helping them to make sure they can concentrate more on…
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Mr. Speaker, housing is a really important issue for my constituents. We believe in a long-term approach to housing. We have a national housing strategy, which is based on a 10-year plan for building more affordable housing for Canadians. In the budget, we are building on that. We will make sure that housing becomes more affordable for all Canadians. It should be a right for all Canadians to have …
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Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago today, on April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,134 people and injuring even more. That incident brought to light the inhuman conditions in which many workers around the world still work today. It reminds us that we have a responsibility as world leaders to fight for the rights of workers everywhere, regardless of borders and distance. …
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. In relation to Bill S-245, an act to amend the Citizenship Act, granting citizenship to certain Canadians, I have the honour of presenting the 14th report. The committee has studied the bill and, pursuant to Standing Order 97.1(1), requests a…
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Mr. Speaker, Scarborough is home to a Grey Cup champion. On Sunday, at Scarborough Town Centre, Toronto Argonauts running back Daniel Adeboboye brought the Grey Cup home to Scarborough, signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans. As part of the 2022 Grey Cup champion Argos, Daniel was a nominee for the league’s most outstanding special teams player, and is an inspiration to our local you…
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Mr. Speaker, every year Muslims across the world fast during the month of Ramadan. As we fast from dawn to sunset for the next month, we take the time to reflect on ourselves, our actions and our values. Ramadan is a time of patience, empathy and compassion, when we grow closer to our faith, families, friends and communities. We open our hearts and strive to give back to our communities through ch…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday was International Women's Day. Women should be celebrated all the time. They have made and will continue to make incredible contributions to our economy and our country. “Every Woman Counts” is the theme this year. Let us celebrate all women who fought and continue to fight for their rights, all women who are thriving in everything they do. Can the Minister of International …
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Mr. Speaker, it is International Development Week. Last month, I had the opportunity to travel with IDRF to Pakistan, which is still reeling from the devastation caused by major flooding last summer, to see how it and other Canadian aid organizations are helping on the ground. The impact is still being felt by millions of people and there will be an ongoing need for international support for many …
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to Motion No. 62 by my friend, the MP for Pierrefonds—Dollard, regarding Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims. I want to thank him for his leadership on this and many other issues of human rights around the world in his role as the chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International …
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Mr. Speaker, definitely seniors need more help, and I will continue advocating to make sure we are there for seniors. We have been there for our seniors. The increase we brought to the guaranteed income supplement was to help seniors keep up with inflation. They will benefit from the doubling of the GST tax credit. Low-income seniors will also benefit from the $500 one-time top-up allowance for ho…
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today during the third reading debate to support Bill C-32. I am one of the final speakers on this important legislation that would implement some of the key measures from our government’s fall economic statement and bring needed help to Canadians who need it the most, including in my riding of Scarborough Centre. I have spoken several times in the House abou…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her concern for seniors. As I mentioned in my remarks, it is important that we support seniors on fixed incomes through the inflationary period. Lower-income seniors are benefiting from the doubling of the GST tax credit and from the Canada housing benefit one-time special payment. We lowered the retirement age from 67 to 65. The Conservatives had changed i…
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Mr. Speaker, through Bill C-32 and our fall economic statement, we are trying to provide targeted support to Canadians who need it the most, by doubling the GST tax credit, by eliminating the student debt loan and by providing a one-time $500 top-up allowance for renters who cannot afford it. I talk to constituents in my riding every day, and they bring up these issues. Affordability is becoming a…
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Mr. Speaker, for so many Canadians, finding housing that is affordable is becoming incredibly challenging. This is especially true in Scarborough and the entire city of Toronto. There is no question we need to continue to do more. Can the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell the House about the important progress our government is making to ensure every Canadian has affordab…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 13th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B), 2022-23: Votes 1b, 5b and 10b under Department of Citizenship and Immigration and Vote 1b under Immigration and Refugee Board”.
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Mr. Speaker, November 29 is recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It was on this day in 1947 that the UN adopted the partition resolution calling for the establishment in Palestine of a Jewish state and an Arab state. Of the two states to be created under this resolution, only one has so far come into being. On this day, we express sol…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a pillar of Toronto's Filipino community and a great friend, Paulina Corpuz, who passed away recently. A proud Filipina, Paulina fought to bring recognition to her community and its many accomplishments in Canada. She led the push for Toronto to declare June as Filipino Heritage Month. It was the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so. Her efforts inspire…
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