Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I was appalled when I saw the article by Jamie Sarkonak last Wednesday. Listen, we had Canadian Heritage officials in this very committee stating the fact that $123,000 of the $134,000 has still not been paid back. They held back $10,000 of the first grant—the anti-racism grant. The Department of Canadian Heritage awarded Mr. Marouf $134,000, but they're waiting to hear back on the remaining $123,000. We were told by department officials at the time that they've sent it to collections, and they haven't received a dime back.
I will echo what my colleagues have said.
Last night, the Sergeant-at-Arms issued that we should lock our offices back home, from coast to coast. We are in an intense time. In Saskatchewan, two or three offices have been invaded in the last couple of days. Right now, because of certain anti-racism comments made in the past number of weeks, we are seeing this. I'm floored the Department of Canadian Heritage has not taken this at all seriously...from Laith Marouf. This is an anti-Semite. It was brought up by the member for Mount Royal at the committee. It was brought forward, almost a year ago, to his own department. This person shouldn't have received a dime from the Liberal government, yet he did.
Mr. Chair, I'm appalled by what I saw in the National Post. I had suspected the collection agency had received most if not all of the $123,000.
I support the motion put forth today by Mr. Shields, and I will call for the vote.