Mr. Speaker, the hon. parliamentary secretary is a member from my home province of Nova Scotia. He has been an absolute delight to work with since I was elected federally, but even prior to that when I was a member of the Nova Scotia Legislature. He reminds me often of how young he is, but there is no age in this place. We all come from such different backgrounds.
The member is quite right that I am of Lebanese origin, and I really do take pride in that. I feel the responsibility on my shoulders of being the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in this beautiful country of Canada, which so many over generations now call home. This country is home, and many people have built their lives here, including my family. My father came here when he was in his twenties, a long time ago.
I was elected for the first time in 2021, and before becoming a minister, I had the privilege of putting forward a private member's bill to enact Lebanese Heritage Month in the month of November. I encourage all members to go back to their communities in November and celebrate the rich history of Lebanese people and of all people who come here from everywhere around the globe to call Canada home.