Bill C-232 (Historical)

Arab Heritage Month Act

An Act respecting Arab Heritage Month

This enactment designates the month of April as “Arab Heritage Month”.

Arab Heritage Month Act

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston—Etobicoke, ON]

Madam Speaker, good evening to you, my colleagues and Canadians who are joining us to witness this important moment of parliamentary collaboration.

I rise this evening with a deep sense of honour to speak to Bill S-227, an act respecting Arab heritage month. It is a moment when Parliament once again has the opportunity to rise above partisanship and move forward in celebration of our shared values of inclusion, recognition and belonging. I know that sometimes there are moments when the House truly comes together, and I believe this is one of those moments.

This is not the first time that this bill has reached this place. In the last Parliament, my colleague, the hon. member for Ottawa South, introduced Bill C-232, a forerunner of this very bill. That legislation passed this House unanimously, with the support of every party and every member in this chamber. It was a rare moment of unity that reminded us what Parliament is capable of when we come together in the spirit of national recognition. Before I go any further, I want to thank the member for Ottawa South for all the work that he has done and his leadership in championing this bill in its earlier form in the last Parliament.

Today I am proud to sponsor Bill S-227. I want to sincerely thank Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak for his leadership in reintroducing this legislation in the other place and guiding it all the way through the upper chamber with determination and grace. I also want to recognize the valuable contributions of colleagues from all sides of the House in support of this bill. I would like to thank the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry for sharing his personal background, the tremendous highlighting of the economic contributions of Arab Canadians and their role in shaping Canadian prosperity. The words of the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Government House Leader on the importance of education and cultural awareness were timely and very important to that first hour of debate. The reflections of the hon. member for Edmonton Manning, my good friend, on the vibrant Arab community from coast to coast to coast, in Alberta but also across the country, have really brought warmth and insight to this important debate.

I thank the member for Jonquière for his perspective on North African and Arab migration to Quebec. I also thank him for highlighting the importance of student mobility, civic inclusion and mutual understanding.

I thank the hon. member for Windsor for his remarks on cross-border connections between Arab Canadians and Arab Americans and the unique contributions that Arab Canadians have made and continue to make, not just to his community but right across the country. I share that sense of pride and of the importance of recognizing this Canadian community. Each of those members built the foundation for today's debate, and I want to thank them.

Thank you, everyone.

This bill proposes that every year the month of April be designated as Arab heritage month in Canada. It is a month that will allow Canadians to learn, reflect and celebrate the contributions of Arab Canadians, their history, culture and heritage. It is an opportunity to recognize the diversity within the Arab Canadian community and to highlight the stories of perseverance, innovation, creativity and resilience.

At its core, this bill is about community and what it means to be part of the Canadian family, to be recognized, to be valued, and to be woven into the larger story of who we are together. Arab heritage month is not only about celebration, though there is much to celebrate. It is also about belonging, to be recognized officially by one's country, to have space in the national calendar that says, “Your story matters, and your identity is part of our collective story.” That is no small thing.

This bill is about more than recognition. It is about education, representation and healing. It is about confronting stereotypes. It is about replacing fear with familiarity. It is about making space for stories long left untold. It is about telling young Arab Canadians, “Your heritage matters, your identity belongs, and your contributions are valued.” As the hon. member for Ottawa South said so eloquently in 2022, “It is high time to move beyond the notion of tolerating anyone. It is now entirely a question of celebrating each other”.

In closing, I want to thank the Speaker for giving me the opportunity to talk about this bill. I ask all members of the House to support the bill and send a message to Arab Canadians that this Parliament sees them, hears them and celebrates them.

Shukran.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to speak to Bill S-227, an act respecting Arab heritage month. I know there is suspense in the air again, and I know you are on the edge of your seat, because I can see you. I do not want you to fall, Madam Speaker. I want to tell you right away that the Bloc Québécois will vote in favour of this bill.

I see my friend from Bourassa reacting. First of all, this should not come as a surprise, because this bill is a repeat of Bill C‑232 from the previous Parliament. That bill passed many stages, was worked on in committee and was supported by the Bloc Québécois. It really reiterated our support for recognizing the cultural heritage of Quebeckers of Arab origin. As members know, Quebec's integration model is different. Our model is interculturalism. It is always important to remind everyone of that. Obviously, we recognize the outstanding contributions that Quebeckers of Arab origin have made to Quebec society.

When we talk about Canadians and Quebeckers of Arab origin, it is important to clarify what we are talking about, because this is literally an entire civilization. Quebec has very close ties with the Maghreb, particularly with Tunisia, Algeria, where my wife is from, and Morocco, where my colleague from Bourassa is from. He, too, appears to be on the edge of his seat. I did not know he was so emotional. We have really important cultural ties. We speak with people of North African origin every day in our ridings. They are part of our communities. They are part of us. They contribute to our culinary art, architecture, literature, science and engineering. When we talk about heritage, it is about a lot more than simply where people come from. We are talking about a Arabic-speaking civilization that originated on the Arabian peninsula but that extends into the Middle East and even into places where Persian is spoken. I believe we need to acknowledge the importance of that civilization and learn from it, and I say that very sincerely. I think we need to celebrate this success.

One of the most rewarding experiences I have had as a member of Parliament has been meeting people in my riding who belong to that culture. I see the member for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles is here. She is involved in this too. I am talking about the Centre communautaire des Basses‑Laurentides in Sainte‑Marthe‑sur‑le‑Lac, a community centre that serves the entire Lower Laurentians region. I remember the day when Hicham El Gournadi, the then chair of the board of directors who later became a friend, came to meet me at my office. He told me that it was not easy to get charitable status. We sat down and started helping each other. Over the course of our meetings, we got to know each other, and eventually I started visiting the centre, spending time there and meeting with the community.

I would like to point out that the Centre communautaire des Basses‑Laurentides is a pillar of our community. In Sainte‑Marthe‑sur‑le‑Lac, these people volunteer for organizations and keep the community alive. They are not all of Arab origin, but because it is a Muslim community centre, they are well represented there. This is another example of interculturalism, of blending communities in a way that enriches our society. This community centre is amazing. It offers activities like weekend Quran classes, which I attended. People can think what they will about secularism and its role—though I think it is a debate that needs to happen in Quebec, not in Ottawa—but for many people, including Christians, Muslims and members of other religions, faith is important, and they view it as an integral part of their culture.

What I also found extraordinary were the math lessons, because we know that, in the Arab world, there is great respect for science and scientific culture. There is much we could learn from this. They also have an absolutely incredible scientific history. An example of this is the Arabic numerals that we use on a daily basis, which are actually of Indian origin, having first been used in Indian payroll calculations—I hear some disagreement—before making their way into science thanks to Arab mathematicians, one of the most important of whom was al‑Khwarizmi. I had actually read about him in a wonderful novel, The Parrot's Theorem, which is a fictional exploration of the history of mathematics. We can see just how much this civilization has contributed to the world of science.

When members hear his name, al-Khwarizmi, it will be obvious where the word “algorithm” comes from. It is a word we use every day these days, and it comes from the Latinized version of his name. Today, it has become so much a part of our common scientific culture that we do not even realize it anymore.

Obviously, he was a great astronomer who worked on Ptolemy's writings, but he also invented the word “algebra”. I am an economist. I studied economic theory, and one day, I realized that the word “algebra” comes from the word al-jabr. All this is to say that different cultures are all around us in our daily lives, and we do not even always realize it. The same is true in our communities. I am an economist, and I was drawn to the mathematical aspect, but the same goes for architects. This influence goes far beyond individuals.

The Lower Laurentians cultural centre teaches math to young children. I find that extraordinary. I wish I had gone to math classes on Saturdays and Sundays when I was a little boy. I may have been forced to take them, but I think I would have been thankful for that later on in life. I might not have had to go to night school to finish my high school math.

They also offer Arabic classes. We speak French in Quebec. Our fellow Quebeckers from the Maghreb region are also members of La Francophonie, but that does not mean that they should forget where they come from or their culture. I know that these people care deeply about family. I know they often call home. They call their home countries often. It is also important to them to speak more than one language, to speak two, three or four languages and to carry on this legacy. I believe they are doing so. I think that, in many ways, we should be inspired by immigrants who come here and who can have conversations in multiple languages. I think that is a great thing.

I keep coming back to the issue of interculturalism and living together as a community. It is a matter of accepting that we share common ground, that we share a lot of things and that it is a give and take. As a host society, we want to take in what those who arrive here have to offer us. It is through this type of sharing back and forth that we find common ground, that our identity slowly evolves and that we are able to talk to each other and debate ideas. Often, these conversations are not easy, but they are civilized, open and intelligent. In some cultures, debate is a national sport, just as it is in kitchens across Quebec on New Year's Day. I can bear witness to that.

For all of these reasons, I think it is a great idea to recognize the contributions of all these people, which we know date back over more than a century. In our history, all of these people have contributed to our society and continue to do so. I think it is worth pointing out all this heritage that can help to enrich us all.

I repeat that the Bloc Québécois is pleased to support this bill.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that the Bloc Québécois supports the principle of Bill S-227, which establishes Arab heritage month. Bill S-227 is a reincarnation of Bill C-232 from the 44th Parliament, which the Senate had not finished studying before dissolution in March 2025. Therefore, the House has already dealt with the bill's content at every stage of the legislative process between February 2022 and March 2023.

The Bloc Québécois participated in debating and studying this bill in committee and voted in favour of adopting it. We therefore reiterate our support for recognizing the cultural heritage of Quebeckers of Arab origin or who speak Arabic. The Bloc Québécois would like to highlight the outstanding contribution that Arab Quebeckers have made to Quebec society and Quebec culture. We would also like to remind members of the unique economic, political and cultural ties between Quebec and the countries of the Maghreb, as evidenced by the co-operation agreement on education and training between the Government of Quebec and the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria.

The success of immigrants admitted to Quebec in recent years from countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Syria—as evidenced by statistics—is a sign of the importance of French language proficiency in ensuring successful immigration to Quebec. The Bloc Québécois has not forgotten that Canadian laws discriminating against Asian populations, in force from 1910 to 1950, had a negative impact on Arab immigration. At that time, Syrians were lumped into the Asian category. We acknowledge the courage of citizens of Arab origin at the time, particularly those who took political action to change laws and attitudes and promote the successful integration of new citizens of Arab origin.

Ultimately, it is questionable whether Canadians of Arab origin and Quebeckers of Arab origin share the same history, particularly since the Quiet Revolution and the adoption of the Charter of the French Language. That difference is precisely because of the special bond that unites Quebeckers of all origins and that shapes our shared history, namely our shared French language and Quebec culture.

Nevertheless, Quebec's history from 1882, which is when Arab immigrants first began arriving in Montreal, to the present day is also part of Canada's history, and Arab Canadians outside Quebec also have their own history. The Bloc Québécois welcomes the House of Commons' recognition of Arab heritage and its cultural contribution to our respective nations, the Canadian nation and the Quebec nation.

In reference to Arab Canadians and Arab Muslim communities, the text of the bill paints a picture of Arab populations in Quebec and Canada that does not entirely reflect reality, suggesting that the Arab diaspora forms a uniform community across Canada. This approach is not surprising, since it is consistent with the Canadian multiculturalist vision, which portrays the population of Canada as a vast cultural mosaic that is not influenced by the existence of nations within Canada. However, the respective national realities of Quebec and Canada do in fact influence how successive waves of immigrants have been welcomed over the decades.

While Canadian immigration laws and policies were applied across the entire country and influenced the pace of Arab immigration during what could be called its golden age, Quebec's explicit desire to strengthen its ties with the Maghreb countries and promote French-speaking immigration, which it has expressed since the Quiet Revolution, has necessarily had an impact on the trajectory of Arab immigration to Quebec that distinguishes it from the rest of Canada. Above all, and this cannot be emphasized enough, linguistic and cultural factors alone are enough to make a definite distinction between the life experiences of Arab Quebeckers and those of Arab Canadians. In fact, they do not integrate into the same society. Immigrant populations settling in Canada outside Quebec integrate into Canadian society, in other words, the English-speaking majority. Immigrant populations settling in Quebec integrate into Quebec society, or the French-speaking majority.

Given the historical factors that explain why many Arab populations already share a francophone culture, it is normal for integration paths to differ depending on whether people settle in Quebec or Canada. It is entirely appropriate to recognize the cultural heritage of people of Arab origin in Quebec and Canada. That is why the Bloc Québécois intends to support the principle of Bill S‑227. I would simply like to point out that it is unnecessary to equate Quebeckers and Canadians as if they were part of a single community, “Arab Canadians” as the bill seems to mistakenly suggest.

We plan on supporting the bill while also fully emphasizing the unique contribution that Arab Quebeckers make to Quebec society and the crucial role the French language plays in their successful integration. I will conclude by inviting all members of the House to read Rachida Azdouz's highly enlightening book called Panser le passé, penser l'avenir: racisme et antiracismes. It is a fundamental contribution to cultural reconciliation that demonstrates the richness of both Arab and Québécois intellectual traditions.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston—Etobicoke, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House to speak to Bill S-227, an act respecting Arab heritage month, which seeks to formally designate the month of April as Arab heritage month across Canada. It is a bill that speaks of the importance of recognizing not only a vibrant and diverse community in Canada but also the larger principle of what it means to belong, to be seen and to be celebrated in this great country. The bill has already passed in the other place, and I am proud to sponsor it here in the House of Commons as it makes its way through Parliament.

Some members may recall that this is not the first time the House of Commons has seen the bill. In fact, in the 44th Parliament, the hon. member of Parliament for Ottawa South introduced Bill C-232, which carried the very same purpose. That bill was passed unanimously at all stages in the House of Commons in a rare and powerful show of unity. Members from across the political spectrum and from every region and background stood in recognition of the importance of Arab heritage.

I want to particularly acknowledge some of my colleagues for their work on the bill, including of course the hon. member for Ottawa South, who was the first to bring the legislation forward in 2022. Without him, we would not be here today. He said, “in my own family...[my] Syrian Canadian godfather...[was] a man of great intelligence, kindness, and integrity. His origins were humble. In fact, [there was] poverty, and his values instilled in me a deep appreciation for hard work, giving back and public service.”

I would also like to express my gratitude to the member of Parliament for Edmonton Manning, whose steadfast support played a key role in moving the bill forward. He said, “As I said, my story is typical of so many [Arabs Canadians] who have come to this country to seek a better life and to give back to the community. I am proud of my heritage and am happy to see the establishment of Arab heritage month.”

I also want to recognize former members Sylvie Bérubé, Blake Desjarlais and Brian Masse, who all contributed meaningfully to helping the member for Ottawa South bring this important piece of legislation to life. Their collective efforts reflect a shared belief that Arab Canadians deserve formal national recognition for their long-standing and ongoing contributions to the very fabric of our country.

Unfortunately, despite unity and momentum, the bill reached third reading in the Senate but died on the Order Paper following Parliament's dissolution in 2024. Today we have an opportunity and, I would argue, a responsibility to complete that unfinished work, to reaffirm our commitment to diversity and inclusion and to ensure that the contributions Arab Canadians have made and continue to make are formally recognized every April of every year across this country.

Why should it be in April, and why should we do it now? Well, the choice of April is actually very deliberate. It would coincide with several cultural and historic celebrations in Arab communities and provide an annual opportunity to highlight the vast diversity of Arab heritage, culture, language and contributions to Canadian society.

We know that Arab Canadians are not a monolith. The community is very diverse and dynamic. The Arab world spans over 22 countries from North Africa to the Middle East, with a population of over 450 million people. It encompasses a rich mosaic of languages, religions and traditions. Arab Canadians include Christians, Muslims, Jews, Druze and others. They speak Arabic in many dialects, as well as French, English, Armenian, Syriac and more.

Their cultures are as diverse as the regions from which they originate, from the mountains of Lebanon to the deserts of Jordan, and from the cities of Egypt to the coasts of Morocco. Designating April as Arab heritage month would be a way to recognize that diversity and to celebrate the ways in which it has enriched our own social fabric in this country.

Arab Canadians have been building this country alongside others for more than 140 years. Immigrants mainly from what is present-day Lebanon were the first Arab group to come to Canada. The first documented Arab immigrant to Canada was Ibrahim Abu Nadir, a Lebanese Maronite Christian who arrived in Montreal in the 1880s. He worked as a peddler, going from town to town selling goods and eventually becoming a successful merchant. He paved the way for thousands of others from what was then known as Greater Syria, the Levant, which today is Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine.

These early pioneers helped establish some of Canada's first Arab churches and mosques. I had the opportunity to visit one of those mosques in Edmonton that was started so long ago, a former Ukrainian community church that was turned into a mosque, again another sign of diversity and inclusion in our communities. The new immigrants built businesses, raised families and contributed to the cultural and economic life of their communities, often while facing discrimination, isolation and economic hardship. April would be a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of these early immigrants.

Fast-forward to today, and Arab Canadians are represented in every field imaginable in Canadian life. Peter Baker, who served as an MLA in the Northwest Territories in the sixties, is believed to have been the first Arab Muslim elected to public office in Canada. Joe Ghiz, of Lebanese descent, served as the premier of Prince Edward Island. He was the first Canadian premier of non-European ancestry. His leadership, especially during constitutional negotiations, left a lasting mark on Canadian federalism.

In the arts, Paul Anka, born in Ottawa to Syrian parents, became one of Canada's greatest musical exports, known worldwide for his songwriting and his timeless voice. In business, Salim Rassy, later known as Rossy, a Syrian Lebanese immigrant, founded a small general store in Montreal in 1910 that would eventually evolve into the national retail chain we know today as Dollarama. In academia, Dr. Bessma Momani, one of Canada's leading voices on analysis of Middle East affairs, has contributed to our understanding of international politics and security issues.

In science, there is Noubar Afeyan, a Canadian Lebanese entrepreneur, inventor and philanthropist, best known for co-founding the biotechnology company Moderna. His family moved to Canada during the Lebanese civil war in 1975. He received his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from McGill University in 1983. In 2022 Afeyan was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from his alma mater, McGill University. He points to his immigrant background and mentality as the driving force of his philanthropic, scientific and business work.

A lot of members of this community give back repeatedly because of their appreciation of what Canada has done for them. These stories are not isolated; they reflect thousands of untold contributions from small businesses, artists, teachers, doctors, frontline workers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics who have quietly but powerfully shaped Canadian society and communities.

The bill is not simply a symbolic gesture; it is a practical and timely tool for inclusion, another powerful reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion. It invites all Canadians to learn about, celebrate and appreciate the cultural richness of Arab Canadians and to recognize the obstacles many continue to face, including racism, Islamophobia, anti-Arab sentiment and misrepresentation. By celebrating the month of April as Arab heritage month, we would make space not just in our calendars but in our conversations, our classrooms, our workplaces and our communities for the voices, stories and contributions of Arab Canadians to be heard and honoured. It is a gesture of recognition, yes, but it is also a commitment to education, equity and dialogue.

The leadership of Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak, the sponsor of the bill, Bill S-227, has been exemplary on this file, and I wish to commend him publicly for championing the bill in the Senate and for his powerful second reading speech earlier in October. I have known him for many years and have seen him contribute so much to life, community life and good causes throughout the GTA and Canada, in fact. He has conducted extensive consultations with stakeholders across Canada on the bill. The bill is non-partisan and has already passed the Senate with broad support.

To conclude, Canada is at its best when we recognize our diversity not as a challenge but actually as a strength, a strength that allows us to understand others and to access other communities, other countries, other regions of the world and other markets and opportunities.

This bill gives us a chance to celebrate what makes us unique while reaffirming what also brings us together: community, faith, freedom, human rights, our commitment to our multicultural heritage, and our shared commitment to respect, fairness and mutual understanding.

Let us seize this opportunity to send a clear and united message that Arab Canadians are an integral part of Canada's past, present and future, that they belong, that their stories matter and that their contributions will never be forgotten. By celebrating and adopting this bill, we will acknowledge those contributions, but we will also celebrate those contributions.

I urge all members, all colleagues from all parties of the House, to support the timely passage of Bill S-227 and join me in ensuring that Arab heritage month becomes a permanent part of our national calendar.

As I said, it is more than just a placeholder in the calendar. It is about an opportunity to learn about our neighbours and their contributions. Let us finish what we began last Parliament, take this meaningful step together and pass this bill.

Calgary Arab Festival

[George Chahal, Liberal, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge a very special event that I had the honour of attending in Calgary. The seventh Calgary Arab Festival was an extraordinary event showcasing live performances, folk shows, cultural tents and delicious foods from across the globe. The celebration was especially meaningful this year because of the recent recognition of Arab Heritage Month. I thank my hon. colleagues for supporting Bill C-232 and providing over a million Arab Canadians with another opportunity to showcase their cultures.

I would like to say a special thanks to Mirna Khaled, Mohamad Awada, Alaa Hamadan, Mohammed Hamden, Bridges for Newcomers and all the volunteers who put this festival together.