Mr. Speaker, I rise today once again in support of Motion No. 155 to designate the month of June as Filipino heritage month. As I initially indicated, I would like to thank my good friend and colleague from Scarborough Centre for bringing forward this important motion.
As members know, Filipino Canadians are the third-largest Asian Canadian group in our country. The 2016 Canadian census shows that over 837,000 people of Filipino descent live in Canada, and that is expected to hit one million in a few years. The same data tell us that Tagalog is the fastest-growing language in Canada. Based on a study conducted from 2011 to 2016, the use of Tagalog has increased by a staggering 35%. The Filipino community has embraced Canada, and Canada has welcomed and will continue to welcome its heritage, culture and contributions. Therefore, on the government's part, I am pleased to support this motion.
Before I get to the substantive areas of my comments, I want to acknowledge the enormous Filipino community in Scarborough, who work very hard. I know I have a significant population. Just recently, the Filipino Centre Toronto moved from downtown Toronto to Scarborough in the riding of my good friend, the member for Scarborough North. Koro Pilipino is a choir group that regularly goes to St. Joseph's, and I often go there for Christmas. St. Joseph's Christmas mass is one of the things that I look forward to during that season. As well, there is Seniors in Action, a very vibrant senior population of Filipino Canadians who have, in their retirement and twilight years, danced away many evenings throughout the year. St. Joseph's Parish is located in my riding. It is the only Catholic church in my riding and we have monthly Filipino masses. It is one that I often attend, especially during holidays. Of course, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate my good friend, Garry Tanuan, who has just been re-elected as the local Catholic school board trustee.
This is the type of vibrant Filipino Canadian community that exists in the Scarborough—Rouge Park riding, and in Scarborough generally. This is not unique to Scarborough. The Filipino Canadian community is vibrant and strong in many parts of this country. My good friend from Winnipeg North routinely talks about their successes, as do many other colleagues.
I want to give some perspective. June is an important month in Philippine history and culture. Independence Day takes place on June 12. It is an annual celebration that is celebrated not just in the Philippines but around the world, in recognition of the independence of the Philippines from Spain in 1898. Recognizing June as Filipino heritage month would speak to the historical and cultural significance of this month to the vibrant community.
Canadians of Filipino heritage have contributed in many invaluable ways to the fabric of our society. Many Filipino Canadians have received international recognition for their work and established themselves as leaders and trendsetters in their fields. They continue to leave an indelible mark on our diverse fabric in every aspect of our lives, strengthening Canada in this process.
Filipino Canadians have attained notable political stature in Canada, and are tireless champions of multiculturalism and advocates for the most vulnerable members of our society. The Hon. Rey Pagtakhan made history by being the first Filipino Canadian to be elected to Parliament. In 1988, he won a seat in the House of Commons in the riding of Winnipeg North. Mr. Pagtakhan served as a parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien from 1996 to 1998, and was the first Filipino Canadian appointed to cabinet when he took on the role of secretary of state in 2001. In 2017, he was invested as a member of the Order of Manitoba. As an anti-racism champion, he was given an award in September 2018 by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Incidentally, today is the 25th anniversary of the election of Prime Minister Chrétien, if I could just digress for a moment.
Filipino Canadians are very prominent in Canadian film, television, radio broadcasting, newspapers and magazines. They are active in their communities, whether it be helping newcomers through the Multicultural Helping House Society in Vancouver or organizing festivals, like the Taste of Manila, Manitoba Filipino Street Festival and Fiesta Filipino Calgary. They are business owners and add invaluable diversity to our multicultural country.
The Filipino community has given Canada so much. Its hard work and dedication has a vast impact on culture and heritage and is often overlooked.
One of the interesting statistics about Filipino Canadians is that there are more women of Filipino heritage than men. This is in part due to the immigration patterns, where oftentimes many women have undertaken the journey to Canada to work in precarious employment situations. Their labour is essentially used in many parts of our country to support Canadians, be it through the health care system or through assistance for children or seniors. It is an enormously difficult situation. Oftentimes people are separated from their families for many years.
I know of the hard work of many of these mothers, particularly, and I want to thank them for their sacrifice. These women have worked so hard to build a life for themselves and their families. It is that bold and difficult journey that has really bolstered the community to the numbers we see today, and the contributions they make throughout our country.
I want to give an example. Mikey Bustos is a vlogger, actor and author. He is a popular YouTuber with over 375 million views on his channels. His popularity has won him prizes and accolades. In addition, he was a finalist on Canadian Idol.
There are other examples, like Martina Ortiz-Luis, a prominent young singer of Philippine heritage. She was on Parliament Hill to sing O Canada this past year.
Maria Aragon is a prominent singer of Filipino descent. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her rendition of Born this Way by Lady Gaga went viral and reached over 11 million views within a week. Her cover also garnered her a performance with Lady Gaga herself in 2011.
This designation of June as Filipino heritage month would enable all Canadians an opportunity to reflect on, celebrate and appreciate the history, heritage and important contributions of the Filipino Canadian community and to celebrate their successes.
Our multicultural heritage is about more than just a commitment to welcoming diverse people from around the world. It is a commitment to principles of equality and freedom, grounded in human rights and enshrined in our laws and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The contributions of Filipino Canadians are vital to our social, economic and political fabric. Today we have an opportunity to acknowledge the critical role Filipino Canadians have in Canada's rich cultural fabric as a country and an opportunity to recognize that their contributions to Canada are appreciated and valued.
Once again, I would like to thank my good friend from Scarborough Centre for bringing forward this motion and reiterate our support for making each June Filipino heritage month.