Evidence of meeting #131 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 hate.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
You time is up, Mr. Waugh.
I now go to Mr. Noomohamed for the Liberals.
You have five minutes.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being with us today.
I am very proud to represent a riding that has a large Jewish community and large institutions of the Jewish community: six synagogues and two Jewish schools. I'm very proud to have in my riding the oldest mosque in British Columbia. I'm very proud to have a vibrant Sikh community.
My parents told me that showing up for your community matters. It's not just about words.
On October 7, I was privileged to attend the remembrance ceremony for victims of October 7. It was interesting to note that not one Conservative member of Parliament showed up.
During Ramadan, I was privileged to be with my community, and it was important to note that not one Conservative member of Parliament showed up to meet with the Muslim community.
Showing up also matters in votes, and I would love your thoughts on this.
In Vancouver Granville alone, the Conservative Party members voted against funding for the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, which was a specific line item in the budget. They voted against funding for the expansion of the Jewish Community Centre in my riding. They voted against funding for the Hellenic community in my riding. They voted against funding for the Canada community safety program that has affected gurdwara, masjid and Jewish temples in my riding.
What message does it send to Jews, Muslims, indigenous people, Asian Canadians and so many others when Conservatives talk about fighting racism and don't show up where it matters in the votes that matter to Canadians?
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
I'd like to thank my honourable colleague for his question and for always being very pragmatic and always bringing people together. It's something I think we all fundamentally believe in, and we are lucky to have such members in our caucus.
When you talk about the work that we're doing to combat anti-Semitism in this country, you're absolutely right. We as a government have been very deliberate about making that choice to invest in Canadians by listening to Canadians. On some of the funding that you talked about, the Conservatives voted against it, which is shameful. This came from the recommendations on the summits that we held on combatting anti-Semitism. This came from the communities that said they needed to have support, and they voted against it. You're absolutely right. Millions of dollars for the first ever special envoy, Deborah Lyons, to fight anti-Semitism and to preserve Holocaust education.
We made sure that this position exists within the Government of Canada because we know how much it matters. There was $25 million for a new Montreal Holocaust museum, which you alluded to, that they voted against. There was $5 million for the first ever national Holocaust remembrance program within our anti-racism strategy that is going directly for education around Holocaust remembrance to make sure that it never happens again in this country and to make sure that we're supporting communities on the ground like funding for the Holocaust Education Centre, which we know is fundamental to talking about the work that needs to happen on the ground.
It's always a bit rich to hear the Conservatives say anything, because they're all about slogans; they're not about solutions. We know that these things take time. It is deliberate work, and we need to work alongside community members with partners on the ground, but we have seen them time and time again vote against and cut funding for these very organizations that the Jewish community has asked for that they have voted against. It's quite frankly shameful.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Thank you, Minister.
Minister, one thing that I and I know others have been preoccupied with quite substantially is the role of far-right extremism and the impact that it's been having on women, on journalists and on indigenous peoples and the role of misinformation in this.
On May 7, I gave a notice of motion and, Madam Chair, at this time I'd like to move that motion, which reads as follows:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of no fewer than four meetings to study the concerning rise in far-right extremism in Canada; that the study include how far-right extremism plays a role in misinformation and disinformation; how to better support preventable measures for ideologically motivated extremism in Canada and the connection between far-right extremism and harassment towards journalists, women, indigenous peoples, Black and racialized communities, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and religious minorities; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
This was distributed, Madam Chair, on May 7 in both official languages, and I would now like to move that motion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Mr. Noormohamed.
It's so moved.
That was a few months ago. We're going to get it and send it to everybody.
I'll suspend, but before I do, I want to thank the minister for coming. I want to thank the minister for her performance, on being very clear on some of the things she needed to say, and answering the questions in a way that was sometimes feisty.
They were feisty questions, Minister, so you were feisty in answering them. I want to thank you for your presence here.
I'm going to suspend now so that we can get copies of this motion.
Thank you again, Minister.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I call the meeting back to order.
The motion was sent to everybody.
Mr. Noormohamed, you have the floor.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
When I gave the notice of motion—
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
I have a point of order, Madam Chair, if you don't mind. I'm sorry. I thought we discussed this motion already.
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
While you check on whether it was discussed or not, I can confirm it was never voted on, to the best of my recollection. I don't even know if we discussed it fully. I want to make sure that if it has been discussed and it needs to be amended, let's amend it and let's vote on it. If it has not been discussed, let's have a proper and robust discussion, which is what I believe we should have.
When I initially gave notice of this motion, it was with consultation with other parties because there is a substantial and growing concern about the role of far right extremism in this country. The connection between the harassment and intimidation of communities, journalists and others as a direct result of misinformation being spread through far right extremist narratives is something we should all be concerned about, regardless of our political parties and regardless of which part of the country we come from.
This is something I think Canadians would expect us to take seriously. This is not about targeting any one specific ethnic group. It is actually about all Canadians. Our opportunity here as a committee is to undertake a serious, very real study of the very serious and very dangerous ways in which far right extremism in this country is impacting people's lives.
I'm hopeful that all in this committee will support this motion. We can get going on ensuring that we put time down for this study, have the hard conversations we need to have to come back with recommendations and ensure that we get a comprehensive response to that report from the government in short order.
NDP
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
By the way, I checked with the analysts and it was posted. It was tabled, but it was never discussed.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
This is the amendment. After “the committee”, which is on line one, we would add “condemn the leader of the official opposition for visiting a convoy camp that celebrated far right extremists and a group whose founder was referred to as violent extremists by Canada’s Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre and”
We have sent you a copy.
The copy we sent is bilingual.
Have you received it?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you.
We have an amendment on the floor. We're going to discuss the amendment.
I have Michael on the amendment.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
On a point of order, Madam Chair, we're seeing that this was discussed on May 9. It's in the minutes of May 9. We'd like to suspend.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
I don't think suspending can be done during a point of order.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
No, but I'm have a request to suspend so that the one party can discuss among themselves—
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
I had the floor. He raised a point of order. His point of order was to bring reference to the May 9 reference. Then he asked, “Can we suspend?” You can't do that.