Evidence of meeting #117 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
—as a member across the way by insinuating my motives. I think that's a fair request at this committee.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Chair, when I said “when we put motions together that are designed to create wedges”, I did not mention anyone's name. I just said that we as politicians have, I think, a moral obligation to rise to a certain sense of decency when it comes to issues like hate.
I'm going to end very shortly, Chair.
I would just say, as we continue this conversation right now and as we start to debate this motion, that we look for ways to actually work together and that we look for ways to build an approach that speaks to the many issues that occur out there.
I'm willing to just lay down the political gloves to bring forward a more humanitarian effort towards building a solution going forward. I actually think that politicians can help when it comes to fighting hate.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Coteau.
We'll move now to Ms. Ashton by video conference. Go ahead, Ms. Ashton.
What is the will of the committee with our guests? Should we let them go? We have another 15 minutes. Should we let them stay and hear this?
Okay. We'll let them stay.
Go ahead, Ms. Ashton.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
Thank you.
First of all, I want to indicate that I find this motion deeply problematic. The entire premise is a National Post piece. The National Post has been engaged in some very problematic coverage for some time—particularly, I would say, when it comes to hate overall.
The National Post is also well known for supporting residential school denialism and anti-indigenous racism. There's a piece, I believe in today's paper, that shares deeply racist messaging around Ontario MPP Sarah Jama. It engages in both racism and anti-Palestinian racism.
I think we have to be clear. This motion from the Conservatives is not about condemning anti-Semitism; it's about playing their political games, because if they cared to condemn anti-racism, then 30 minutes ago they would have supported the motion put forward by the Liberals to study the rise of the far right, which is engaged in anti-Semitic hate and other forms of hate.
In fact, their leader, for days now, has refused to condemn Diagolon, a far-right organization that also pushes anti-Semitism. He met with folks who support this far-right movement and he still refuses to condemn them.
If we're going to talk about condemning hate, I will say that just this past October, this member came out with the egregious accusation of CBC journalists being on the side of terrorism in their coverage of genocide in Gaza—
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
NDP
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
No, you're not. You're talking about the CBC and other stuff, so if you don't mind....
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
With all due respect, Mr. Chair, I didn't see you cutting into other members as you are with me—
May 2nd, 2024 / 5:15 p.m.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
This is not about condemning anti-Semitism, as the member indicates.
I also find it deeply troubling that part of the rhetoric we heard from the member was also in reference to what's happening on campuses across North America. I think it's very dangerous for parliamentarians to make accusations of the kind we've heard from Conservatives on that front.
Conservatives love to talk about freedom. Here we should be reiterating, as parliamentarians, that we respect students' and Canadians' freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, including when it comes to anti-war protests. Many Canadian young people are standing up against genocide and Canada's complicity in it.
We should be, as parliamentarians, condemning anti-Semitism along with condemning Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. That is not what today's motion purports to do.
To me, the fact that 30 minutes ago the same party chose not to look into the rise of far-right extremist hate really undermines the sincerity of the motion ahead of us and indicates that they're keen to get clicks on social media rather than actually get into taking on anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism and other forms of hate. As parliamentarians, we need to be genuine in what's being discussed here today.
It's also not lost on me that this is coming up during a debate on the Court Challenges Program, which is a program that is premised on fighting for equality and justice in Canada, fighting against hate on behalf of marginalized communities, communities that have been denied justice time and again.
Canadians see through these kinds of political games. Let's be serious and condemn anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and also support, very clearly, the right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly that students and Canadians have, and and stand up against all forms of hate.
I will leave it there. I'm looking forward to a productive discussion on this front, rather than scoring political points at a very serious time in our country, particularly given the genocide happening in Gaza and the fear that Jewish communities, Palestinian communities and Muslim communities face. We should be doing them justice by putting forward a motion that has a greater intent and seeks to really take on the kind of hate that we are seeing across the board in our country.
I look forward to having a discussion on that.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I want to set the record straight, Mr. Chair, in terms of the notice of motion that was brought last time.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I want to set the record straight, because a lot was said in the presentation of this motion today that I believe needs clarification.
Mr. Coteau rightly pointed out that the misrepresentation on social media of what happened in this committee caused harm, caused hurt feelings, caused ill will, and caused further pain to members of the Jewish community, which is simply unacceptable.
For those across the way who somehow believe any of us are equivocating on this subject, let me speak very clearly.
I condemn all forms of anti-Semitism, and all Canadians should. I condemn all forms of anti-Semitism, and all Canadians must. That is who we are as Canadians. There is no place for hate in this country. There should be no place for hate in this country on our campuses, in our streets, in our communities, anywhere. That, I believe, Mr. Chair, is something that we should be able to do all together, without fancy preambles, without hypotheses, without depending on National Post articles.
Mr. Chair, what we should be able to do as a committee, as Mr. Coteau rightly pointed out, is come together and condemn hate—in this particular case, anti-Semitism, the insidious nature of anti-Semitism—and be united in that message. In so doing, we are saying to people that this isn't a political football. This isn't a game for people to score points on social media. This is a serious issue facing our country. We should let Jewish Canadians know that the fight against anti-Semitism is not their fight alone. It is a fight that all of us are a part of. It is a fight that all of us are committed to—
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
I'm sorry, but there is a point of order.
Go ahead, Ms. Thomas.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you.
I'm just confused as to why we're not allowing this to go to a vote if the member opposite is in support of the intent of this motion. Instead the Liberals seem very much hell-bent on filibustering. I'm curious as to why that is.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Mr. Chair, that's not a point of order, and I was in the middle of saying something.