Madam Speaker, it has been confirmed that 29 Coptic Christians fell victim to acts of violence in Egypt yesterday while attempting to commemorate their brethren who fell as a result of violence during a peaceful demonstration on October 9.
Our government finds this violence in Egypt to be completely unacceptable. We passed a motion unanimously in the House calling for a transparent investigation into the violence and for those responsible to be held accountable.
We hear loud and clear the cries for support from Coptic Christians here and in Egypt.
On behalf of all Canadians, I offer our condolences to the families of the victims and to those whom they were commemorating.
Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and a vital building block for healthy democracies. People of faith must be able to practise and worship in peace and security.
Once again in the House we will make it clear that discrimination and violence against the Coptic community must stop.