Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise on this occasion to speak about this topic, which has garnered a bit of international attention around the world, reaction to the American president's executive order on the weekend. I started getting tweets and texts and emails from constituents, including a lawyer from my riding whose friend was caught up a bit in the net on this.
It is important that the House examine these issues. I do not have a problem with that, but we should examine them from a Canadian perspective. We are not American legislators. We are not its lawmakers. We are not part of the U.S. judiciary. We are not part of the U.S. executive branch. We are Canadian lawmakers, and that should be the focus of our attention.
I myself am an immigrant to this great country, having come here from the U.K. as a young lad with my parents. I can personally attest to the fact that Canada is a country that offers so many blessings, so many rich opportunities for those who desire a better way of life. We all have stories. I have stories from my childhood. I remember as a four-year-old packing up for the trip to Canada. I wanted to take two separate toys but there was only room for one toy in the one piece of luggage we had. I thought I was making a great sacrifice, but of course there are many other examples of much greater sacrifices to get here. To me, that was a lesson that I remember. One sacrifices a lot to come to Canada, but the opportunity to be part of this wonderful country, this wonderful society, is almost invariably worth the sacrifice.
Our country is built on the dreams of indigenous peoples, of course, but also those of many generations of immigrants, many of whom were fleeing oppression. Canada gained a reputation as a welcoming beacon to the world, and it is imperative that we continue to embrace immigrants from all points of the globe, all backgrounds, and all faiths. Of course we make a few demands. They should abide by our laws. They in turn are seeking a better life for themselves and, if applicable, their children. It has been proven time and again that immigration enriches our culture and our economy, and we must never lose sight of that.
The U.S. executive order, as I have already alluded to, is the business of the three branches of the U.S. government. All three of them are involved in this right now, including the judiciary. It does have impacts around the world. Over this past weekend in the immediate aftermath of the executive order, all of us who were fielding phone calls or emails or texts or tweets felt a certain amount of relief to hear that all Canadian passport holders are being exempted from U.S. travel restrictions. I am sure we can all agree that unnecessary disruption to the massive amount of business and travel that occurs daily across our shared border would be devastating.
Canada has always taken seriously its responsibility to monitor and secure our shared border with the United States. We fully understand that we live in a dangerous world and that we must remain vigilant on many fronts. There is no question that the U.S. restrictions prompted confusion and outrage from many quarters. On the plus side, a global conversation has erupted, including here tonight, so that we can examine our own values, our own beliefs, and our own laws.
I was reminded when this debate started that Canada and the U.S. together need to safeguard ISIS-persecuted groups, safeguard them from slavery, rape, genocide. This includes the Yazidis, the Assyrians, the Christians, and the Muslims, of course.
Conservatives have asked the Liberal government to expedite Yazidi refugees to Canada. I must say that we have not had an appropriate response to date.
I travelled to the refugee camps in Iraq last summer. I heard first-hand from witnesses about the brutal treatment of religious minorities at the hands of ISIS. Spending three days on the ground in the region, I heard the horrific stories of mass murder, women and children being sold into slavery, raped, and tortured, and neighbour being forced against neighbour. It is truly a nightmare.
I met with local government leaders, including the speaker of the Kurdistan house of parliament, who welcomed the attention and asked for our support. I was profoundly struck by the resiliency and unwavering faith of the Yazidi people, the minority Christians, and Syrian Muslims. However, there is a resounding sense of deep despair in the face of the ongoing slaughter in those areas still controlled by ISIS, and we must do more. We must do all we can to restore hope to these persecuted minorities and offer them a chance for a better way of life.
Bringing Yazidi victims to Canada should be a priority for the government, but inexplicably, the heels keep dragging. The government committed last October to acting within 120 days, and that time runs out on February 22. When will we see the plan?
This is a good opportunity to review the government track record as well. This includes ongoing problems with successfully integrating Syrian refugees, making sure they have the proper resources and ongoing supports to succeed in their new homes. These are serious concerns. Canadians are generous people. We know that. Through the privately sponsored refugee program, Canadians opened up their hearts and communities, but too many groups and refugees have been left in the lurch by red tape and bureaucracy.
Conservatives call on the Liberal government to live up to its promises. I think we can all agree in the House that, while being vigilant, Canada must remain a compassionate nation when it comes to immigration. It is my sincere hope that the government will do all it can in this regard, including on the dire need to shelter ISIS-persecuted minorities, and work with our allies around the world to keep our citizens and communities safe.