Debates of Sept. 19th, 2018

Accessible Canada Act

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Madam Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for her speech and interest in how we advance accessibility for the lives of all Canadians.

I agree that we need to have clear standards so that everyone can follow them. I am a big proponent of that. I have heard from people who are genuinely interested in doing their part. However, they need guidance. They do not want to just come up with something on their own, and the Liberals are expecting us to do that. It sounds like the member is somewhat enthusiastic for that also.

In terms of the shortcomings, through you, Madam Speaker, I am interested in hearing the member's thoughts about a timeline and how we would best embark on that, because I think we all agree that we need to have something in place if we are actually going to get the dominoes rolling.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I think what we should do is put in place two things, timelines and the specific scope. We do not need, for example, to consult more on what to do to make buildings accessible. Believe me, this has been exhausted to death. That is not what we need. If we are going to consult, let us be specific about what we are consulting to achieve. Are we consulting in order to allow people with disabilities to work independently, to live independently? Which parts of this are we going to do? Are we looking for solutions, like the member mentioned, for people who are looking for sign languages to be included in legislation? What is the scope of what the Liberals are going to do? Otherwise, the government will consult and consult, and it will be endless in scope and endless in topics. We need to be crisp on it, or allow free rein but allow only a limited amount of time, consulting for a year, for example, on the myriad of things it might want to bring as solutions, and then implement a plan.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Madam Speaker, the member for Sarnia—Lambton and I have had talks on health care and many other issues over the last three years. She is aware that I have a hearing impairment. She is very aware of that aspect. These are aspects that I look at in this bill specifically.

She mentioned infrastructure and if we are looking at ramps or looking at rails, and things like that. However, my question really is about standards. I would like to hear a bit more of her thoughts. She touched on standards a bit. There is a difference between standards and regulations. Could she comment on that?

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would say that when it comes to standards, a standard would say, for example, that if we are making an accessible curve the curvature has to be a certain angle, it has to be a certain width, and all of those kinds of things. That is a standard. A regulation is something that everyone has to do by such and such a date, or whatever. That is the difference I see: the standard is more of the technical “what is the right thing to do”, and the regulation is how we are going to enforce and police it.

[Kate Young, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Science and Sport and to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility (Accessibility), Lib.]

Madam Speaker, we do have some obvious agreement on this and we are looking forward to moving this legislation forward.

The hon. member did say that she does not like exemptions and I want to explain why some exemptions may be necessary.

The provisions are included in recognition of the fact that some organizations may have alternative methods of meeting the objectives of certain requirements, and some organizations may already have completed the requirements and are living up to existing accessibility standards in some of the provinces. Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and British Columbia have standards and are moving forward on that.

Does the member not see why some exemptions may be necessary in a bill of this size?

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I do see that exemptions may be needed for the reasons the member has cited, but when it is left wide open and there is no oversight, cabinet can determine what those exemptions will be and it does not have to tell anyone why.

It is better to write them in and to tell people that they have to comply with this, or that they must have a minister approve the exemption. The protocol should be clear and transparent so that we know it is not just people letting their friends do what they want, and also not people weaseling out of their responsibilities.

Businesses have known for an extremely long time that they would have to become accessible and they have really dragged their feet. If we gave an exemption of any kind, a lot of people would drag their feet even longer, and that is not what we want.

Let us have clarity and transparency.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is nice to hear that everyone in the House really wants to do make things better for people with disabilities. I guess the debate is about how that will happen.

We have $290 million here and it seems to be to create a regulatory body and more consultation. It could be the most expensive consultation in history given the Liberal government's record of dithering and its failure since its inception, including over the summer.

The minister mentioned the RDSP, which was a game-changer. It was implemented for three months.

Would this legislation really make a difference for people on the ground? I have done a bit of math. There is $290 million for home elevators. That money would do 70 to 150 elevators to make a difference today. Is this really the best way of going about it?

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Madam Speaker, there absolutely are things that we should do. The government is not very good at consultation. I could talk about the missing and murdered aboriginal women's inquiry and its $54 million budget. It is still going nowhere.

The money would be better spent on tangible solutions, and we already know what some of those are. Infrastructure money has been announced. The government should do it now.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to debate Bill C-81, an act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. We as parliamentarians, and I think all Canadians, know someone, whether a family member, a neighbour, or a colleague who lives with a disability. Often these are visible disabilities, those we can see, but there are also the invisible disabilities, those we cannot see with the naked eye. When we are crafting and debating legislation and implementing standards, we have to recognize the variety of disabilities that Canadians live with on a daily basis.

For me personally, my mother-in-law is someone who lives with a disability. She lost a leg to amputation about 15 years ago and uses a wheelchair. I speak with her regularly, including earlier today about an issue related to accessibility. I hear the concerns she brings forward on a variety of issues on a daily basis that confront her as she goes about living her life. One example she gave me today was that she was out shopping with her mother and could not enter certain stores because of the lifts at the entrances. She told me she would like to spend money. She would like to buy stuff for her grandkids, my kids, although I do encourage her to stop doing that because our house is getting too full. However, she enjoys doing that and attending things. Certainly this does not fall under federal jurisdiction, but it is an example of how those living with disabilities are in some cases unable to enter certain establishments.

She tells a story of recently going to a local bank and using a lift to get into the bank because there were three steps she would have had to climb to get into the bank. Unfortunately, the lift malfunctioned and her wheelchair flipped over backward, causing her to fall to the ground and smack her head. Again, this is an example of how she was unable to access that facility, which would fall under federal jurisdiction as a federally regulated institution.

I think we all know these examples and stories of friends, family members and people living in our community who are capable of participating fully in society, yet there are challenges to their doing so because of certain barriers. Each of us in our ridings know of organizations that work hard with members of the community specifically on accessibility issues and with Canadians living with disabilities. In my riding, we have L'Arche Stratford, which is a great organization, working with those with disabilities. There are also a number of community living organizations in Stratford, in North Perth, and St. Marys.

In my constituency office, we have Emerson Kuepfer. Emerson works in my office one day a week. He does the shredding for us. He has been living with a disability his entire life. However, he is there every Wednesday morning. He has the biggest smile on his face when he is there because he is working and is contributing to society. The only time he does not have a smile on his face is when the Leafs lose, which happens from time to time. Beyond that, he is always as cheerful as can be, and really is a benefit to our office and to the community as a whole, contributing through those great organizations.

It is important as well to talk a bit about the unfortunate stigma that is still out there when we talk about Canadians living with disabilities. I have fallen victim to it as well. In the past I might have referred to someone as “being in a wheelchair”, but I have been corrected, and rightfully so, because the wheelchair does not define that person. That person uses a wheelchair as a tool. We need to encourage and speak with Canadians about the stigma that somehow someone with a disability may not be able to do all things quite as well as others without a disability, and ensure that they have full access to, and the ability to work and participate in, the community and attend businesses and events.

From my time on West Perth municipal council, I know that we often struggled with the challenges that faced us with the provincial AODA legislation in ensuring that our facilities were fully compliant with the AODA. It was a challenge, and it was not a cheap function either. As an example, our local arena did not have fully accessible washroom facilities, so fixing that was a project we undertook while I was serving on council. Now we have a beautiful facility with fully accessible washrooms so that all people within the community are able to use that facility.

However, it is not always easy. Most of the businesses on the main street in my hometown had a step or two to get in. One innovation done by the local council at the time the reconstruction was done on the main street is the sidewalks were adjusted to ensure a flat entrance to the different businesses. While it was not a panacea and did not fix every single business, it accommodated the vast majority of businesses on the main street. The sidewalks were adjusted to meet the entrances to each of the stores and each business became more accessible. It is not perfect and we cannot always make things perfect with buildings that are 100-plus years old, but it is a good step forward.

The Perth County courthouse in downtown Stratford is a beautiful building which is 150-plus years old. It has served as the seat of county government for 150-plus years. It is not accessible. The irony is that despite it being a provincial courthouse and the home of the county government, it is grandfathered from the provincial AODA legislation, but steps are being taken to make that building more accessible while also maintaining the building's important and historic significance, both as a community landmark and as a functioning part of the community as a courthouse and a seat of government in the community.

I want to talk about some of the experiences we have had in this Parliament with issues of accessibility. I am honoured to serve as a member of the procedure and House affairs committee. One of the studies that was undertaken earlier this year, in the spring, was on a debates commissioner.

Leaving aside the debate over the debate, it was interesting to hear the testimony and information from different civil society groups on the issue of accessibility. We heard from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind how broadcasting a debate ought to be structured so that those with a visual impairment could have full access to the debate, to engage with the debate and know what is going on in the debate. We heard a similar message from other Canadians living with disabilities, including those with hearing impairments. Whether it is closed captioning or sign language, there are different ways in which, while relatively minor in the great scheme of things, we can make that specific institution just a little more accessible so that Canadians living with disabilities can have full access to debates.

I will conclude by talking about the RDSP. It has been mentioned by a number of my colleagues, but I do believe that among the many great things former finance minister Jim Flaherty did during his time in this place, the RDSP meant so much to him as a father and as a finance minister. Canadians owe a debt of gratitude to the late Jim Flaherty for all that he did. That is a good point on which to conclude.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member will have 11 minutes and 30 seconds remaining when this issue is next before the House.

The House resumed from September 17 consideration of the motion that Bill S-228, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibiting food and beverage marketing directed at children), be read the third time and passed.

Child Health Protection Act

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

It being 5:30 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at third reading stage of Bill S-228 under private members' business.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #884

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I declare the motion carried.

(Bill read the third time and passed)

The House resumed from September 18 consideration of the motion that Bill C-375, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (presentence report), as reported (with amendment) from the committee be concurred in.

Criminal Code

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at report stage of Bill C-375 under private members' business.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #885

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I declare the motion carried.

It being 6:19 p.m., the House will now proceed to the consideration of private members' business as listed on today's Order Paper.

Sikh Heritage Month Act

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

moved that Bill C-376, an act to designate the month of April as Sikh heritage month, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House for the second reading stage of Bill C-376.

Before I begin, I would like to thank all 20 members from across Canada, and from all political stripes, who have seconded my bill. I also want to acknowledge the many others who had expressed interest in seconding the bill but could not get on the list due to the maximum limit of 20 having been reached.

I introduced this bill to designate the month of April as Sikh heritage month to ensure that the contributions and history of Sikh Canadians are recognized annually across Canada.

The history of Sikhs in Canada is a story of compassion, hard work, persistence and giving back. The first Sikhs arrived on Canada's shores in 1897. Over the past 121 years, the community has continued to thrive and prosper. The proud traditions of community leadership and providing the next generation with strong role models continues to this day. This bill is about setting a foundation for every generation to recognize the hard work, struggles and ultimately the contribution made by Sikhs in building Canada as a nation.

Canada is known around the world as a welcoming, diverse and tolerant nation. This is the result of Canadians of all backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures making sure that Canada became a country that we could all be proud of. This is one of the reasons we observe Italian, Tamil, Jewish and Asian heritage months, among many others, to recognize, honour and remember just exactly who we are. The values, principles and ideals that unite us all is a universal theme for Canadians.

As then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau stated, “A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate....we must continue to cherish...not concepts of uniformity but human values: compassion, love, and understanding.”

A historical understanding is the most important act of reflection a country can provide for its future generations. It is our obligation to ensure that society is always changing for the better.

With the support of members in this House, the month of April will become Sikh heritage month. This is significant because the month of April is important to all Sikhs. This is when Khalsa Day and Vaisakhi is celebrated, which marks the birth of Khalsa and his teachings of equality, selfless service and social justice.

Canada has one of the largest Sikh populations in the world. My riding of Surrey—Newton is home to the largest Khalsa Day and Vaisakhi parade outside of India, with over half a million attendees each and every year.

I mentioned earlier the history of Sikhs in Canada began in 1897, when officers of the British Army arrived. These Sikh soldiers were known as loyal fighters and were an integral part of the efforts in World War I and II.

I want to to recognize the efforts of individuals such as Mr. Steve Purewal of Indus Media Foundation in British Columbia and members of the Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada in Ontario. They have done an excellent job of collecting artifacts and sharing the history of the many battles Sikhs have fought in and the rich history of Sikhs living in Canada.

By the early 1900s, Sikh pioneers entered Canada and began to work in resource industries such as forestry and mining. This was a tightknit community that stuck together to overcome many obstacles, whether it was finding employment or being accepted within society, all the while leaving behind their families in India.

In 1908, the Sikh community came together to build the first gurdwara in Canada located in Vancouver. This became a centre for faith, shelter, advocacy and gathering, where community leaders worked to find ways to make a positive impact on the larger Canadian community.

Soon after in 1911, a gurdwara was constructed in Abbotsford, BC, which still exists to this day. It is the first gurdwara outside of India and Pakistan to be recognized as a national Canadian historic site.

By 1947, Sikhs were able to vote in federal elections. They embraced the right to cast a ballot, viewing civic participation as more than a right, but as an essential part of citizenship.

Laws began to change that would allow those of Sikh faith to be considered equal members of Canadian society.

It is also important to acknowledge that the journey Sikhs have endured in Canada has not always been easy. Along the way, the community faced intolerance and prejudice. These challenges effectively made Sikhs second-class citizens by being subjected to unfair labour laws.

Many Canadians know about the terrible Komagata Maru incident and the rejection of Sikhs who had arrived in Vancouver looking for a new beginning. They were turned away simply because of discriminatory laws.

However, we are doing our part as a government to correct these historical wrongs. The formal apology in the House by the Prime Minister, also the member for Papineau, in 2016 showed that we as a nation have progressed.

I would like to acknowledge the work done by Mrs. Sukhvinder Kaur Thind, who unfortunately passed away on September 5, 2017, for her tireless advocacy and support in bringing about the formal apology in the House. This apology affirmed true reconciliation with the Sikh community in Canada and provided a new path to a more unified and integrated future.

The rich Sikh history in Canada is very personal to me because it is also reflective of my own personal journey, because it is how I am able to stand in the House and present this bill.

In 1984, because of the work done by Sikh pioneers in Canada, I decided to migrate to this country and along with my wife Roni, and with the help of my mom, Amarjit Kaur Dhaliwal and my dad, Hardial Singh Dhaliwal, who passed away on September 29, 2015, we were able to raise our three beautiful children Keerat, Joat Amol and Arjan.

As the Prime Minister said when he visited the Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada, “the story of the Sikh community in Canada is, in fact, just the story of Canada.”

It is a story about brave soldiers who fought to defend democracy. It is a story of early settlers and pioneers who worked in the agriculture fields, in mines, in lumber mills and on the railroads. It is a story of the first Sikh gurdwara built in 1908. It is a story of prejudiced laws being used to reject fellow British subjects on the Komagata Maru. It is a story of becoming Canadian citizens in 1947. It is a story of entrenching equality, fairness and justice in the laws of this land. It is a story of athletes, world renowned business leaders, working professionals and philanthropists rising to prominence. It is a story of elected officials, ministers, a premier, a federal opposition party leader and a senator.

This is all a part of the ideal Canadian experience that today I am proud to be able to share, recognize and celebrate.

In closing, I hope that all members of this House and the Senate will join me in passing this bill to honour the history and heritage of Sikhs in Canada, and share the story with future generations so that we remain a strong, diverse and inclusive nation.

[Bob Saroya, Conservative, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for bringing this bill forward. Many of us of Sikh heritage are excited for the previous generation to see this bill. Does the hon. member think that those in the next generation are excited? I have three kids and he has three kids as well. What would the bill bring for our future generations?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for being a seconder on this bill.

As the hon. member mentioned, he has two sons and a daughter, and I have two daughters and a son. When this bill passes in the House of Commons, it then becomes a part of history. When we celebrate Sikh heritage month year after year, it will educate them. This celebration will not only educate the children of the Sikh community but each and every Canadian child, and they are our future. This is a way to bring communities together to celebrate the diversity of Canada together. This is the strength of Canada, and this will strengthen Canada even more.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from Surrey—Newton for bringing forward this very important legislation. I am who I am today, in good part, because of the Sikh community. Sikhism has been a critical aspect of more than half my life. In fact, I would not be here today if I did not have the support of my extended family in the Sikh community.

To get an appreciation of what Sikhism is all about, one only need look at Canada's diversity, just how rich we are and how much we have been blessed by the Sikh community in every region of our country. As that community grows, we have seen a very strong, healthy and vibrant community. In Winnipeg North, for example, it drives the economy second to no other community. It has contributed so much since 1988, whether it is gurdwaras in Winnipeg, Abbotsford, Vancouver, Calgary or all across the Punjab. I believe that with this piece of legislation, the member is recognizing the month of April as a month when Canadians in all regions, as he himself put it, can celebrate Sikhism and how it has contributed to every aspect of our society today in Canada.

On behalf of the residents of Winnipeg North, I thank the member and appreciate his efforts in bringing forward this very important piece of legislation.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the member for Winnipeg North. I have had numerous opportunities to go to Winnipeg North and was pleased to invite the hon. member to come to Surrey—Newton to speak in a local gurdwara. I had the honour of travelling with him to Punjab, India, and witness the passion the member carries for the community. It is not only that he is thankful to the community, but, in fact, the community is very thankful to the member, who is passionate and always willing to help the Sikh community rise and help children get to the next phase. I hope the member's inspiration will be passed on to future generations. That will sew the seeds and blaze the trails that the children of Canada will follow very proudly, and keep making us a proud and strong nation.

[Bob Saroya, Conservative, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today to speak in support of Bill C-376, an act to designate the month of April as Sikh heritage month. I am grateful to my colleague across the floor, the member for Surrey—Newton, for introducing this bill and helping to bring it to this stage.

This is an important issue for me, as a Sikh Canadian myself. I am thankful to be able to speak here and be a strong representative of my heritage and the larger Sikh community on this important observance.

As I mentioned previously, I strongly support the bill and its intention to designate, going forward, the month of April each year as Sikh heritage month. In fact, I was the seconder, as the hon. member mentioned, of the bill when it was originally introduced.

Sikhism is a religion practised by over 35 million followers all over the world. In fact, Canada is a home to over half a million Sikhs, making it the second-largest Sikh population in the world next to India. That is significant and it is deserving of recognition.

It is widely believed that the very first Sikh settlers who arrived in Canada migrated from northern India and set foot on Canadian soil in 1897 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Those settlers would then pave the way for all other immigrants from South Asia to enter Canada and make this great country their home.

Those first immigrants settled in British Columbia. Sikh heritage month is very dear to me. Many of those first, original settlers came from back home in the village of Paldi where my mother came from. As they arrived, they came with no money. They did not speak the language. They came to ensure they joined the workforce.

In the early 1900s, they settled on Vancouver Island and called the place Paldi, the name of the village where the family came from, and they built the first gurdwara in Paldi back in 1919.

For over 120 years, Sikhs have been contributing to Canadian society and to the Canadian economy.

From 1904 to 1908, approximately 5,000 Punjabi immigrants, mostly men, entered Canada and became part of the workforce. This was the real beginning of Sikh migration from South Asia to Canada.

It has not been an easy road for us, as Sikh Canadians. There have been some tough times and some very historically tragic events for Sikhs in Canada. Despite being welcomed to Canada and being able to join the workforce and make a living in Canada, a very humble living at the beginning but a living nonetheless, that welcome was to be later taken away. However, despite the hardship, we as a people have overcome and we have remained here. We have become a strong thread in the fabric of this great nation. We have made and will continue to make rich and significant contributions to Canadian society.

In 1914, hundreds of our people were looking for a better life for themselves and their families. They sought that in Canada and they were denied entry. The result of the Komagata Maru incident was tragic and horrifying, but that has not stopped Sikhs from continuing to migrate to this great nation and continuing to make a strong impact on Canada as a whole.

We are a strong people and we have endured and risen above the persecution and tragedy too, as I mentioned, to make Canada the home to over half a million Sikhs.

It is important that we, as Canada's Parliament, ensure that the Sikh heritage is recognized and that we celebrate the contribution Sikh Canadians have made to Canada's social, economic, political and cultural fabric, and also that we recognize the richness of the Punjabi language and culture and the Gurmukhi script.

It is also significant that April is the month that is designated to celebrate Sikh heritage month. April is an important month in the Sikh faith. It is the month in which we celebrate Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is a historical and religious festival in the Sikh religion that marks the new year. It has always been celebrated on April 13 or 14 every year since the tradition began.

Vaisakhi commemorates the founding of the Sikh community known as the Khalsa under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Through a special ceremony, which gave Sikhs the distinct Khalsa identity, Guru Gobind Singh provided our community the opportunity to live lives of courage, sacrifice and equality. He also called upon Sikhs to dedicate their lives to the service of others and the pursuit of justice.

Every year in April, Sikhs gather in cities across Canada and worldwide to celebrate through parades, entertainment and gatherings of family and friends. In addition, Vaisakhi observes a number of major events in the history of Sikhism and also celebrates the winter harvest. Obviously, April is an important month and is most definitely the appropriate time to recognize Sikh heritage month.

Sikh heritage month would provide Sikhs and Canadians alike with an opportunity to reflect on, celebrate and educate future generations about the inspirational role that Sikh Canadians have played and continue to play in communities across Canada.

Also of note is the fact that the Province of Ontario already observes Sikh Heritage Month in the month of April each year, as does the City of Brampton. Therefore, it is only appropriate that we should be taking the lead federally on these types of observances instead of playing catch-up with our provincial and municipal counterparts. Support for the bill would ensure that we are taking a leadership role on this front for all of the provinces and cities across the country.

In conclusion, again, I am honoured to speak to this important bill, Bill C-376. I would like to thank my hon. colleague for bringing the bill forward and recognizing the important and inspirational role that Sikh Canadians have played and continue to play in Canada.

I reiterate my support for Bill C-376 and call on my hon. colleagues to join me in casting their support for the bill.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in this House to offer my support for Bill C-376, an act to designate the month of April as Sikh heritage month. It is important to note that this bill is likely the first bill to recognize Sikh heritage at a federal level in the world and is the second such bill in Canada. During his time as the NDP MPP for Brampton-Gore-Malton in Ontario, the now NDP leader Jagmeet Singh tabled Bill 52, an act to proclaim the month of April as Sikh heritage month. That bill received royal assent on December 12, 2013.

As a proud member of Canada's first federal party to have a leader of Sikh heritage and a leader who has previously tabled and received unanimous consent for a similar piece of legislation at a different level of government, there is no doubt that the NDP strongly support this bill.

Each province and territory throughout Canada has been touched by the influence and contributions of Sikh Canadians. I believe it is very important for us to recognize the social, economic and cultural contributions of the Sikh community to the multicultural mosaic of Canada by declaring April as Sikh heritage month.

April is an important month for individuals of the Sikh faith not just in Canada but throughout the world. Each year, April marks the celebration of Vaisakhi, also known as Khalsa Day. Vaisakhi marks the Sikh new year, and commemorates the formation of the Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. It is also a spring harvest festival. Sikh places of worship, the gurdwaras, throughout Canada will hold kirtans, which are the devotional singing of scriptures and legends.

The harvest festival is filled with music, dancing and fairs known as melas. In Canada, some of the biggest Vaisakhi celebrations occur in B.C. The biggest of them occurs in Surrey. This year marked Surrey's 20th annual Vaisakhi parade. The RCMP estimated that over 500,000 people attended.

According to Statistics Canada, there are nearly 470,000 Canadian Sikhs. That makes Canada likely home to the largest Sikh diaspora community in the world. Passing the bill before us today would provide Canadians from all walks of life the opportunity to learn more about the contributions, celebrations and culture of their Sikh neighbours and community members. It is something I encourage all Canadians to take advantage of.

My riding of Vancouver East is home to the Akali Singh Sikh Society. I have had the pleasure of working with the society on obtaining visas and permits for visiting religious workers. This has provided me the wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Sikh community in my riding and also for members of the society to share their knowledge with the rest of the community. The society started in 1952 and began construction on its current gurdwara in 1981. In addition to religious services, the society regularly hosts community meals, offers Punjabi language classes, runs youth camps and offers free tax filing services for seniors and low-income families. These valuable community roles stem directly from the Sikh faith's emphasis on selfless service, justice and equality.

Passing this bill would also allow Canadians to learn from past injustices that Canada has perpetrated against the Sikh community.

As members are aware, the Komagata Maru marks a dark chapter in Canadian history. Nearly 400 passengers, mostly Sikhs, were refused entry into Canada at Burrard Inlet because of a discriminatory law. The passengers were sent back to India where 19 of them were killed. During the 2015 election campaign, the now Prime Minister made the promise to officially apologize for the Komagata Maru incident in the House of Commons within the first 90 days of his mandate. That, as we know, did not happen in that timeline.

On February 3, 2016, I put on notice Motion No. 35, which called on the Liberal government to officially apologize for the 1914 Komagata Maru incident as a reminder of the Prime Minister's election promise. By so doing, I was also carrying on the hard work of former NDP MP Jasbir Sandhu, the hon. Jinny Sims, who is the current B.C. Minister for Citizens' Services, and the tireless efforts of the Professor Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation which initiated the call for justice in 2012.

In working with the community, together we were able to pressure the Prime Minister to do the right thing. On May 18, 2016, the Prime Minister finally formally apologized in the House of Commons for the actions taken by the Canadian government and the irreparable harm the decision caused in this dark chapter of Canada's history.

It would be worthwhile to take a moment to reflect on that discriminatory law that cost the lives of 19 people. The Government of Canada had put in place a law that prohibited passengers from disembarking in Canada if the vessel they were on had stopped at any point during its journey here.

Then in 1939, under the unofficial policy of “none is too many”, Canada would refuse refuge for another ship searching for safe haven, the MS St. Louis. On it were 900 Jewish people fleeing Nazi Germany. The ship was forced to leave and it is believed a quarter of those passengers were killed in Nazi death camps during World War II.

The Prime Minister's description of the laws that prevented Komagata Maru passengers from disembarking immediately and those on the MS St. Louis reminded me of the current influx of asylum seekers to Canada. The safe third country agreement aims to prevent people seeking asylum from entering Canada if they stopped in the United States during their journey here.

It appears that we have still not learned from the mistakes of the past. We are continuing to turn people away, not on the basis of their claim but on the basis of the path they took to arrive here as they search for safety and a better life.

I hope that the government reflects on the Prime Minister's apology to the Sikh community for their mistreatment under the laws of Canada at that time and what it means to truly make sure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. I hope the government keeps this in mind when my New Democratic colleagues and I continue our call for the suspension of the safe third country agreement upon our recognition that the United States is not a safe country for asylum seekers at this time.

I am proud to support the bill. It gives Canadians a chance to learn more about the Sikh community and Canada's past, including the not so bright moments. That is what gives us the motivation and ability to do better, to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.

As noted, I encourage Canadians who have questions about the Sikh faith or just about the day-to-day life of Canadian Sikhs to simply ask them. The World Sikh Organization is constantly engaged on Twitter through #AskCanadianSikhs. They are happy to answer anyone's questions and help Canadians better understand their Sikh neighbours. We can all learn from each other. We need to celebrate with each other about who we are no matter where we come from. That is part of our multicultural mosaic that speaks to who we are as Canadians.

My New Democratic Party colleagues and I wholeheartedly support the bill. As mentioned, our leader, Jagmeet Singh, has paved the way in the Ontario legislature with his bill and now for the House of Commons to do the same is something which we very much welcome.

I thank the member for tabling the bill and supporting the initiatives that my former colleague in the NDP tabled previously.