Mr. Speaker, on this World Refugee Day, I rise to commemorate the strength, courage, and perseverance of the 22.5 million refugees presently around the world. Our world has become an unwelcome place for refugees. As people flee to safety, to borders or to shores, they are routinely barred from entry. Refugee families and children are split up and incarcerated. Women and children face sexual and gender-based violence at alarming rates. LGBTQ2 refugees face increased persecution. Refugees live in deplorable conditions, with limited food, medicine, and water. Being a refugee is not a crime, and being born a refugee should not be a life sentence.
Canadians are proud to have welcomed generation after generation of refugees. However, we cannot ignore our failures, such as the Komagata Maru and MS St. Louis incidents. We need to learn from the past and make sure we offer a safe, welcoming environment to all those who reach our borders seeking protection.