Government Orders
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, 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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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…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
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…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
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.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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, 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…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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 …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
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, 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, 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…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
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”.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
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…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration entitled “Promoting Fairness in Canadian Immigration Decisions”. I would like to thank all the members of the committee for their hard work to produce this substantive report on such an important issue, which led to an important series of recommendations f…
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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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Mr. Speaker, October is Women’s History Month, and I would like to recognize an amazing woman, Indrani Nagenthiram, who is making a difference in the lives of seniors in my riding of Scarborough Centre. A strong and dedicated woman of Sri Lankan roots, Indrani pioneered the creation in Toronto of a culturally appropriate assisted living environment for Tamil seniors. For 20 years, the Villa Karuna…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in relation to the motion adopted on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, regarding the immigration response to events in Iran. The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration reports that in light of the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her advocacy on dental care. Every Canadian deserves good oral health care. It is a key component to overall well-being. That is why we, as a government, are committed to working to build a comprehensive, longer-term national dental care program. It is really very important. When I talk to families in my riding, it is very heartbreaking to see that …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I rise to speak to Bill C-31, an act respecting cost of living relief measures related to dental care and rental housing. This legislation would help address some of the concerns that many of my constituents have shared with me around the rising cost of living and the increasing difficulty they are facing in making ends meet. All of us in this House and in this country are seized wi…
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Madam Speaker, as part of the national housing strategy, we are addressing the issue of affordability and the lack of rental housing construction and capacity. We have introduced the rapid housing initiative, a $2.5-billion program to finance the construction of modular housing as well as the acquisition of land and the conversion of existing buildings to affordable housing. The rental constructio…
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Madam Speaker, the climate action incentive provides an annual credit for an individual in Ontario, my home province, of $373 for an individual and $186 for a spouse or common-law partner, and $93 per child under the age of 19. Every dollar raised through carbon pricing in Ontario goes back to the residents of Ontario. The less we pollute, the more we save. When we are talking about affordability …
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Mr. Speaker, housing is an issue. Since we came into power, we have invested in the national housing strategy. I have seen first-hand an increase in the rental units. Through the rapid housing investments, we have been able to invest. In my own riding there has been an investment of 57 additional units, and we had a groundbreaking ceremony. The money is going into different housing projects. Inves…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions related to the situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where there is a major famine. They are calling on the House of Commons to demand access to the region for aid groups to deliver food and humanitarian assistance, the restoration of communications in the region, the withdrawal of Eritrean forces and an arms embargo in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, I offer my sincere condolences to the family of Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of Iran’s odious morality police and was allegedly arrested for refusing to wear a hijab. No government should have any say in what a woman chooses to wear or chooses not to wear. I strongly condemn the actions of the Iranian regime. Canada must demand justice, and this morality police must be disba…
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Mr. Speaker, my third petition is in regard to Somaliland. The petitioners question the legality of the union between Somalia and Somaliland, and call for Somaliland to be recognized by Canada as an independent country.
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth and 10th reports of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in relation to Bill C-242, an act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act regarding temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with a…
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Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to join the congregation of Wilmar Heights Baptist Church for Sunday service and to take part in the celebration of its 70th anniversary of worship, fellowship and service in Scarborough. I thank Pastor Tai Adeboboye and his wife Marian for always making me feel welcome, and for their leadership in Scarborough’s multi-faith community. I would also like t…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Differential Treatment in Recruitment and Acceptance Rates of Foreign Students in Quebec and the Rest of Canada”. 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 the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Main Estimates 2022-23: Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Citizenship and Immigration, and Vote 1 under Immigration and Refugee Board”.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot and killed during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank, and I am deeply disturbed by what happened during her funeral procession. Journalists are vital to our democracy; they risk their lives every day to bring us the truth about what is happeni…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to rise today to speak in strong support of the Private Member's Bill moved by my colleague, the member for Ottawa South. It is Bill C-232, an act respecting Arab Heritage Month. I want to thank the member for bringing this bill forward to the House. In the 41st Parliament, I had the opportunity to introduce my own piece of private member's business…
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Mr. Speaker, it is Nursing Week in Canada, and I would like to recognize one of the many outstanding nurses in my riding. Sandra Ricketts-Fusca has been a nurse with the Scarborough Health Network for 33 years, including 26 years as a perioperative nurse. As a young girl, she was inspired by an aunt and a cousin who were nurses in England. She decided to make it her career when she began caring fo…
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Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration entitled, “Supporting Uyghurs and Other Turkic Muslims to Find Safety in Canada”. The committee reports that: In light of the fact that Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China face an ongoing genocide, and in light of the fact that those in third coun…
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Mr. Speaker, every time I stand to speak in this House, I am struck by how privileged I am to be a Canadian citizen representing the people of Scarborough Centre. I became a citizen in May of 2004, and it was one of the happiest days of my life. Unfortunately, many people have faced delays in taking their oath of citizenship since COVID-19 hit in March 2020. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refuge…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in relation to the motion adopted on Thursday, March 31, 2022, regarding the situation at the Russia-Ukraine border. The motion reads: That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration report the following to the House: We (a) condemn the continu…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, every year Muslims across the world take part in 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. It is a time when we grow closer to our families, friends and community. We open our hearts and strive to give back to our community through charity and …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, rising inflation is presenting real challenges for my constituents in Scarborough Centre, especially seniors on fixed incomes and families with young children already challenged by high housing prices. The rising cost of groceries and other daily necessities is making it harder for families to put healthy and nutritious food on the table for their children. Could the Associate Ministe…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021-22”.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Situation at the Russia-Ukraine Border”. The committee wishes to advise the House that it condemns the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Ukraine that was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a clear violation of international law. It…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, as the Prime Minister has made clear, the Emergencies Act is not the first option exercised or even the third or fourth. It is important to remember that local police are the first responders and the force of jurisdiction. In the case of Ottawa, it is the Ottawa Police Service. From the beginning, since the City of Ottawa began to make requests for support and resources, the governm…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells. It is with sadness, but with resolve, that I rise to take part in this historic debate. The country, and indeed the world, is watching what is happening here. I hope that we can prove to be worthy of this moment in Canada’s history. I would like to begin by thanking the members of the Parliamentary Protective Service …
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