Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on April 18, I was on hand to congratulate the Hon. Gurbax Singh Malhi as he was presented with the key to the City of Brampton in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a trailblazer for the Sikh and South Asian community. His service and dedication to strengthening diversity in Canada is truly commendable. As the first Sikh member of Parliament, his persistence on wearing hi…
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Mr. Speaker, this Friday, April 21, or Saturday, April 22, based on the moon sighting, Muslims across the world, including myself, several members of this House and many of my constituents in Brampton Centre, will celebrate Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan where Muslims fast daily from dawn to dusk, participate in communal prayers and give back to their communities. E…
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Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, the death of a seemingly perfectly healthy 43-year-old affected many in the Brampton community, including me. He was one of my most beloved friends. Coming without warning, with no chance to say goodbye, the news of his death was shocking and heartbreaking. Ravjot Singh Chhatwal was a hard-working division chief in Brampton's fire and emergency services, where flags fl…
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Mr. Speaker, this Wednesday, March 22, Muslims across the world, including me, several members of this House and many of my constituents in Brampton Centre, will begin the month-long observance of Ramadan. Ramadan is a time of patience, compassion and generosity that ultimately brings us closer to our loved ones and our communities. As we abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset and gather …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the late Zahid Malik, a beloved Pakistani Canadian community leader, who passed away on February 16 at the age of 52 fighting cancer. Zahid Malik was a successful small business owner who operated Active Marketplace, a flea market in Ajax, Ontario. Zahid Malik was a generous and kind-hearted man who never backed down from a challenge, especially if it meant givi…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has expertise and talent to become a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry update the House on the work the government is doing to secure Canadian jobs and attract important investments in this sector?
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join everyone in Canada and around the globe in celebrating Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Bandi Chhor Divas is known as the day of liberation. It is a celebration of human rights and freedom, marking the freeing of Guru Hargobind Sahib and 52 rajas from a long i…
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Madam Speaker, what I witnessed recently in Pakistan was truly heartbreaking. More than 1,500 people had died in catastrophic flooding. From my vantage point in a helicopter over Sindh province, all the roads and thousands of acres of crops were under water. In one of the most affected areas, we met with the wonderful, experienced staff of Canada’s humanitarian partner organizations working on the…
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Mr. Speaker, the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability found that more than six million Canadians report having a disability. We need to create a Canada that is inclusive from the start. That is why the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion announced new funding today for licensed early learning and child care centres through the enabling accessibility fund, which is …
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Mr. Speaker, sports and broadcasting have a strong relation. They go together, and that is the history I am talking about. Bill C-11 is important because broadcasters are directly related with this and sports history is really important to tell to Canadians. Just as a level playing field is vital for sports, it is equally important in broadcasting. Requiring online broadcasters to contribute to th…
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Mr. Speaker, absolutely, yes, I would. This bill explicitly excludes all user-created content on social media platforms and streaming services. These exclusions mean that the experience for users creating, hosting and interacting with other user-generated content will not be impacted whatsoever, while the treatment of commercial content such as TV shows and all songs across all platforms will stil…
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Mr. Speaker, this bill updates CRTC guidelines that will increase the proportion of French language content to be supported through the Canada Media Fund and other streams. For example, clause 6 of the online streaming act specifies that all new requirements for platforms must work to support and enhance French and English minority language communities across the country. With regard to minority l…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Calgary Skyview for sharing his time with me. I respectfully acknowledge the Anishinabe people as I join the debate from the national capital region located on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin nation. It is an honour to rise in the House today to speak in support of Bill C-11, the online streaming act. This bill represents an important mil…
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Mr. Speaker, for decades Canadian broadcasters have given us incredible Canadian content through television and radio. That was not an accident. We have chosen to be different from the cultural juggernaut of the United States. We care about our cultural sovereignty. We believe our diversity should be celebrated. Our culture is who we are as Canadians. I am sorry, but English is not my mother langu…
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Madam Speaker, on behalf of the residents Brampton Centre, I rise today to recognize Tahir Khan, Shafiq Ahmad, Aqeel Akram, Raja Ashfaq, Farooq Ahmad, and Zia Inam for their selfless service to the community as the founding members of the Funeral Aid Society of Peel. The society is a not-for-profit organization, and its more than 1,100 members self-insure against funeral and burial expenses. When …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the question of privilege that was raised by the member for Barrie—Innisfil earlier today. I want to take this opportunity to apologize sincerely and unreservedly to all members of Parliament for the unfortunate event that transpired last Friday. I ask the House and its members to forgive me for my lapse in judgment. I take this matter extremely seriously and I promi…
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Madam Speaker, earlier this week, Muslims in Canada and around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is a festival that follows Ramadan's month after fasting. It is a spiritual celebration of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's gift of the strength and endurance that the fasting required. It is also a time to forgive and to seek forgiveness, to reflect on compassion, charity and generosity. In som…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan's 19 million people live in a country the size of Quebec and Ontario combined. It has strong multi-ethnic and multi-denominational roots. Kazakhstan's plains, mountains and climate are like those of Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Co…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to participate in today's debate on this private member's bill, Bill C-237, an act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Canada Health Act. As proposed, this bill would do two things. It would allow any province to withdraw from a federal program in provincial jurisdiction if comparable programs exist, and it would exempt Quebec from the criter…
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Mr. Speaker, over the last two years, our government has consistently heard from employers regarding their challenges with the skills and labour shortages that have affected not just their businesses but also Canada's economic growth and recovery. In my riding of Brampton Centre, I also have a thriving population of international graduates whose temporary statuses are expiring due to processing ch…
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Mr. Speaker, 82 years ago today on March 23, 1940, thousands of Muslims from all over the Indian subcontinent gathered in Lahore. They had one dream, one vision and one mission. A resolution was passed calling for the creation of a separate homeland for Muslims in British India. Exactly 16 years later, on March 23, 1956, Pakistan adopted its first constitution during the transition from the Domini…
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Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the people of Ghana as they celebrate the 65th anniversary of independence this Sunday. Like Canada, Ghana is a member of the Commonwealth. It was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve its independence from Britain and one of the first countries in Africa to establish diplomatic relations with Canada. Like Canada, Ghana is blessed with abundant human an…
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Mr. Speaker, James William Roman escaped slavery in Maryland and came to Canada via the Underground Railroad. His grandson, Dr. Charles Lightfoot Roman, was born on May 19, 1889, in Port Elgin, Ontario. Dr. Roman was one of the first Black Canadians to graduate from McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine. He was also one of the first Black Canadians to enlist for service in the First World War. M…
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Madam Speaker, early in 2020, we were all facing an unforeseen global crisis. It was a life-and-death situation, leading to anxiety, fear and confusion. Our Prime Minister and his team took the measures necessary to keep Canadians safe and to keep our economy going during the pandemic. On behalf the residents of Brampton Centre, I would like to thank the right hon. Prime Minister for his leadershi…
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Mr. Speaker, as we know, one of the ways we can prevent transmission of COVID-19 and protect our families and communities is through the use of rapid tests. At the beginning of January, our government committed to obtaining 140 million rapid tests by the end of the month. Can the Prime Minister tell us how many rapid tests Canada has received since the beginning of 2022?
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Mr. Speaker, I am truly humbled and honoured to rise for the first time as a member of Parliament in the House of Commons. I want to thank the residents of Brampton Centre for placing their trust in me, and also thank my team, who worked so hard in the election campaign. After losing my father when I was 10 and being raised by a single mom, family means everything to me. I am grateful to my wife N…
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