Debates of Oct. 16th, 2023

Canada—Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Pursuant to Standing Order 45, the recorded division stands deferred until Tuesday, October 17, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, I suspect that if you were to canvass the House, you would find unanimous consent to see the clock at 7:44 p.m. so we could start the take-note debate.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent to see the clock at 7:44 p.m.?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Pursuant to order made earlier today, the House shall now resolve itself into a committee of the whole to consider Motion No. 29 under Government Business.

(House in committee of the whole on Government Business No. 29, Mr. Chris d'Entremont in the Chair)

Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Before we begin this evening's debate, I would like to remind hon. members of how proceedings will unfold.

Each member speaking will be allotted 10 minutes for debate, followed by 10 minutes for questions and comments.

Pursuant to an order made earlier today, members may divide their time with another member. The time provided for the debate may be extended beyond four hours, as needed, to include a minimum of 12 periods of 20 minutes each. The Chair will not receive any dilatory motions, quorum calls or requests for unanimous consent.

We will now begin tonight's take-note debate.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

moved:

That this committee take note of the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Mr. Chair, I will begin by saying I will be sharing my time this evening with the Minister of International Development.

So many people in my riding, in my community in York Centre and across Canada, constituency by constituency, have lost loved ones or are facing the unbearable unknown of whether their children, parents or friends are alive. This is true both in the southern communities of Israel and places across the country, as well as within Gaza, as we speak. They each have names. They have families and people who love and miss them. The pain is very fresh and raw. I know so many people who feel vulnerable and scared at this moment.

Hamas is a terror organization and its actions on October 7 are nearly unspeakable, but let me be clear: Hamas is not the Palestinian people. The level of devastation and trauma that everyone in the region has been through, and are going through, is a lot to process. We are in shock and in mourning. There is no justification for the horrors we have witnessed both in Israel and in the crisis that is unfolding in Gaza.

In the face of horrifying terror, destruction and loss of life, our communities came together, like they always do. In doing this, they have taken a moment, and we take a moment, to remember those we have lost and the stories of humanity and compassion. I think of Arab Israeli paramedic Awad Darawshe, who in the face of terror stayed to treat the wounded at the Supernova music festival; the Filipina nurse Angelyn Aguirre, who refused to leave her elderly patient alone; Ben Mizrachi from Vancouver, who at just 22 years old attended the wounded at the music festival; Alexandre Look from Montreal, who barricaded the entrance to a shelter to protect others; Adi Vital-Kaploun, whose two young sons miraculously survived these horrors; Shir Georgy, who was murdered at the music festival; Netta Epstein, who threw himself on a grenade to save his girlfriend; and peace activist Vivian Silver, who remains missing at this time.

We have a duty to bear witness, to hear and tell all of their stories and the stories that are yet to come, as difficult as they might be, to make sure those who were murdered in these acts of terror and those who will die needlessly in the crisis that lies ahead will be remembered, and their memory be a blessing.

These moments are traumatic to engage with, and I have certainly learned this over my lifetime, but if these times teach us anything, it is how little distance stands between us because we cannot lose our humanity in this moment. Our communities have been deeply touched by these events. No one in this country will ever be able to fully understand what Israelis and Palestinians have gone through in this time of war, yet we all feel these moments deeply. This is true for the Canadians in Israel and Gaza experiencing these unspeakable horrors, their families back home and the millions of people, both in the region and around the world, who are witnessing this hour by hour.

Last Friday was an incredibly emotional moment welcoming passengers from the first flights from Israel. After they have experienced such trauma and devastation, our priority is ensuring that they are back to safety and home with their loved ones. We will continue to do what we can to bring those we love home. As we look forward, I still worry what will be in the coming days for Jews, Muslims, Israelis and Palestinians. I fear for the people of Gaza who are victims of Hamas and its unrelenting oppression, which serves only to perpetuate the unending cycle of violence in the region. I also worry for our communities here at home, for our children who are afraid to go to school and for our places of worship, which are afraid to be open. There are so many who fear for their safety. We must come together in unity to fight back hate and to combat terror.

As I end my speaking notes tonight, I will share this thought. We say this in Hebrew:

[Member spoke in Hebrew]

[English]

May we be shielded by loving kindness, enveloped in peace and bestowed upon with light and truth. May we bring that together both in this chamber and for those who are in this crisis at this moment.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister earlier today said that the aid that was recently announced for the region would go to aid innocent civilians in Gaza and that there would be no possibility that it could wind up in the hands of Hamas. I am wondering if the member could comment specifically on what measures her government is taking to ensure that this money will not wind up with Hamas.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, to reiterate what our Minister of International Development said, not one penny of the humanitarian aid that is going to help those in Gaza who need help at this moment will go to Hamas.

We have some of the strictest regimes for funding in the world. We only work with trusted third-party partners, and we will stand clearly against terrorism.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my colleague for her intervention.

We have spoken before in this place about the impact that anti-Semitism has had on the member, her family and her community, and I know that we are seeing a rise in that across the country. I also know that we are seeing anti-Palestinian hate happening across this country.

I spoke to a colleague today who said that she is worried about her mother who sometimes speaks Urdu in public and has told her that she has to stay home. I have spoken to other people who have said that because their sisters are wearing a hijab, they are going to go home and protect them as they are worried about them.

Perhaps the member could talk a little bit about what more we could do as Canadians, as a country, to come together to protect against the anti-Semitism and anti-Palestinian hate we are seeing, which is on the rise across this country.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, the hon. member and I have indeed spoken on many occasions about our deep concern for peace in the region.

I would say that diversity is our strength in this country, but inclusion is a choice, and it is one that we must model each and every day. My own daughter is on a university campus and she took off her Star of David today. This is unacceptable. She also walked to school with her Muslim friend and had to be worried about her safety as well going through the streets to campus.

We have a collective duty as parliamentarians in the House to model the Canada we wish to see.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Chair, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her very touching speech. I think it moved us all, no matter which party we represent in this House.

Canada was one of the first countries to announce humanitarian aid, and I congratulate the government on that announcement. Now it is time to deliver that humanitarian aid. If there is no humanitarian corridor, this aid will not get to the people we want to offer it to, the people we want to help. That is why it is so important to have a humanitarian corridor into the Gaza Strip.

How does the Canadian government plan to ensure that this humanitarian corridor is put in place?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, the Minister of Foreign Affairs just returned home to Canada after days in the region working with our regional local partners as well as on a multilateral effort to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and create humanitarian corridors.

We are deeply committed to this work, as much as we are committed to making sure that the hostages being held under Hamas right now are released. We have a collective duty as an international community to ensure that civilian lives are protected and to ensure that hostages are returned to safety.

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Chair, first of all, I want to thank my colleague for her courageous speech. I know that this is something that is deeply personal for her as an Israeli Canadian and that this past week has been exceptionally difficult for her personally, as well as for Jewish and Palestinian communities across this country.

I wonder if the member could talk about what is important for us to do now here in Canada to bring communities together.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, today we announced the appointment of the new special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting anti-Semitism, the hon. former ambassador Deborah Lyons. One of her first tasks is to work with her special envoy counterpart on Islamophobia, because as the members of this chamber well know, this is a government that is committed to combatting hate and committed to creating safe spaces for all Canadians, no matter who they are, where they worship or how they identify. We will continue to do that work each and every day.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of International Development]

Mr. Chair, I am thankful for this opportunity to address my colleagues.

I join the minister, the hon. member for York Centre, in condemning Hamas. The pictures of the attacks by Hamas on innocent Israeli civilians are horrific. I unequivocally join my colleagues in condemning Hamas and its blatant act of terror. Our priority is the civilians.

Every human life is precious, whether it is Muslim, Jewish, Palestinian, Israeli or Christian. Hamas does not and will never represent Muslims and Palestinians and does not represent the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspirations. We must do everything we can to continue to protect both Israeli and Palestinian civilians. We will continue to work with our allies in the region and beyond to make sure that all civilians get the assistance and aid they need.

The reality is that this humanitarian crisis is getting worse. We need unimpeded humanitarian access and an open corridor to make sure that life-saving food, medicine and water get to those who desperately need it now. We are working very closely with our international partners, trusted organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies, and groups in the region that have always served everyone. I have had a number of conversations with ICRC; MDA, the equivalent of ICRC in Israel; and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, to get a sense of the needs on the ground and the heroic work being done by humanitarian and medical workers.

With regard to our support so far, we have wasted no time in taking action. We were the first western country to commit an initial $10 million to put much-needed aid and assistance in the hands of trusted organizations so they can deliver water, food and medicine to civilians in need. We will continue to work with our allies to call for the respect of international humanitarian law, which means allowing unimpeded access to medicine, food and other aid.

I want to emphasize that in our domestic approach, we know that Muslim Canadians, Jewish Canadians, Palestinian communities and Arab communities are impacted by this. There are folks with family members who have been killed as a result of this conflict. Family members are experiencing grief because their loved ones are being held hostage by Hamas. Family members are really concerned about being caught in the conflict in Gaza and making sure they are safe.

We must not let the actions of Hamas turn into hate in Canada. I unequivocally condemn the rising acts of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim behaviour that we have seen in Canada in the last week. We must come together to call out hate in all its forms.

I am so proud of the fact that our special envoys are working together. I spoke to both of them on the weekend. It is so heartening for me as a Canadian to see that our special representative on combatting Islamophobia and the newly appointed envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting anti-Semitism are not only working together but embracing each other to lead us forward and make sure that we are holding on to the diversity and inclusion that make Canada so strong.

Canada only succeeds when Canadians can put aside their differences and work together for the betterment of all, not just in the good times but also in the difficult times. We are steadfast in coming together to assist the most vulnerable. I want to reiterate our government's active engagement on this issue. We will be there to support civilians.

We will continue to monitor the situation. We will work with our partners, regional friends and allies and make sure we continue to work with trusted organizations that have served us well over the years to make sure that Canadians have the framework to help the most needy and vulnerable. Canada will continue to do that.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, I thank the minister for his comments this evening.

I want to underline our belief in the importance of humanitarian access. In the past, we have heard stories of humanitarian crossings being targeted by Hamas. Two years ago, we heard testimony on this at the foreign affairs committee, so no doubt access will be challenging, but it is certainly very important.

I want to ask the minister about the Iranian regime's role in supporting Hamas. What level of coordination does the minister see the Iranian regime being involved in with these recent horrific terrorist attacks? What additional steps should Canada take to hold the Iranian regime accountable?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, our focus has of course been on making sure we work with our friends and allies to help everyone affected by this conflict. I share the concerns of my colleague with respect to Hamas and its actions. We were all horrified by the terrorist attacks that Hamas launched against Israeli civilians in the south of Israel. I share the concerns of my colleague with respect to anyone, any entity or any country that would aid a terrorist organization.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech, which was excellent, as his speeches always are.

We have seen demonstrations in recent days that have included unacceptable actions and slogans. That kind of thing has no place in a country like Canada, and I say that as a Quebec sovereignist.

I have a question for my hon. colleague. Is it not important for us all here in the House to be united, not divided? Is this not the time for all the representatives of Canada's 338 ridings to band together, stand shoulder to shoulder and ensure that no one tries to score political points on human tragedies? Instead, we need to unite, lead by example, and perhaps prevent certain acts in our communities that have no place here.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, I absolutely agree with my colleague. We should be united around the principle that every human life is precious. We have to condemn terrorism in all its forms. We have to make sure that we are always calling for the respect of international humanitarian law, and we have to stand up for the rights of civilians to be protected in conflict. That is what we stand for and that is something we can all agree on here in this chamber, across party lines.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have many constituents who are very worried about their loved ones. Some of them are Canadians who are in Gaza at the moment, and some of them have sponsored family members who have yet to make it to Canada. They are trying to find a way to get to safety. Many of them cannot access GAC services for evacuation. Others are simply looking for a pathway that could help them get to a corridor of safety.

What is the government doing to provide evacuation for Canadian families abroad, individuals abroad who have permanent resident status and loved ones who are waiting for their sponsorship to be completed so they can get to safety?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for raising a really important question.

Many of us in our roles as members of Parliament have been dealing with constituents who are concerned about loved ones affected by this conflict, some who have loved ones trapped in Gaza and others whose extended family members, friends and loved ones are being held hostage by Hamas. The fact of the matter is that our government has been really prioritizing this issue. My colleagues, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of National Defence, have been working non-stop on this issue, and I am happy to report to Parliament that a number of those efforts have been successful, enabling Canadians to be evacuated back to Canada, in some cases from the West Bank to Jordan and in some cases from Israel back to Canada. Those efforts are ongoing and we will do everything we can to help Canadians evacuate from Gaza, West Bank and Israel.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am going to split my time with the hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

I stand in this debate with sadness and anger as a Canadian, as a member of the House and as a Jew. Jewish Canadians are not only mourning; they feel that they are under threat. It is our duty here to provide reassurance and protection to those who feel vulnerable, whether within the Jewish community, among the Muslim community or in any other community.

It is unfathomable to me that in 2023, anyone should fear sending their kids to school or being near a place or in a place of worship, at a community centre or in a business owned by an identifiable group at the centre of this war. It is a complete perversion of the rights and freedoms afforded to anyone in this country, and it requires more than just words like “stay vigilant”. It requires action. It requires action from every level of government.

The outright slaughter of babies, of mothers, of Holocaust survivors and of hundreds of innocent civilians should be easy to condemn, a simple moral test that too many have failed, because the visceral language of the entitled creates a fetish of blind demonization of one party in this conflict, even in the face of such obvious carnage. Instead of condemnation, too many Canadians stood and celebrated in demonstrations, dancing in the streets branded in Hamas propaganda. Too many more sought to justify, minimize or rationalize the brutality.

I would remind the House, in this vein, that the 1988 Hamas covenant and the revised charter from about five years ago must not be ignored in the conversation. The original charter is rather clear on Hamas's genocidal intentions. It calls for the complete destruction of Israel as an essential condition for the liberation of Palestine and the establishment of a theocratic state based on Islamic law. It states the need for an unrestrained and unceasing jihad to obtain that objective and the outright dismissal of any negotiated resolution or political settlement of Jewish or Muslim claim to the land. It is by every account anti-Semitic.

What happened in Israel on Saturday is true to Hamas's explicit charter edict, their objectives and their ambitions. On October 7, Hamas carried out the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. They intentionally targeted innocent mothers, children, babies, elderly Holocaust survivors, entire families and innocent civilians carrying out their daily lives until they were so brutally cut short.

Among them were Canadians, with five murdered and three others believed to be captive. The gruesome attacks unleashed a carnage so unspeakable, so unthinkable, that it would not be believable unless it was captured on video and put on the Internet, as we see. They are not militants. They are not government. They are not a resistance movement. They are as the member for Carleton said: Hamas is a “sadistic criminal terrorist death cult, and it must be defeated.”

Israel has the right and obligation to do just that. As a defensive operation to destroy Hamas and its military capacity in Gaza continues, the pleas for restraint, compromise and peacebuilding are destined to fail with the genocidal aims of Hamas, as in their charter.

With that, it is the government's responsibility to ensure that Canadians are evacuated from the region, that missions serve those abroad who need help and that it advocates for the safe release of hostages. I would add this final critical point. If there is one thing we can take away, it is for the government to finally, as it said it would, criminalize the IRGC, the funder and convener through which the regime in Iran is fighting a proxy war to proliferate terror not only on Israelis but on those in Gaza and around the world.

We will not let the government have a free pass on this, for it is too common for Israel to have friends when it is easy and much harder for those friends to stand up when times get difficult. For the destruction of terror in Hamas, in the Iranian regime and around the world, and for the security of our ally, Hamas must be destroyed. Things will get harder.