Madam Speaker, good evening to you, my colleagues and Canadians who are joining us to witness this important moment of parliamentary collaboration.
I rise this evening with a deep sense of honour to speak to Bill S-227, an act respecting Arab heritage month. It is a moment when Parliament once again has the opportunity to rise above partisanship and move forward in celebration of our shared values of inclusion, recognition and belonging. I know that sometimes there are moments when the House truly comes together, and I believe this is one of those moments.
This is not the first time that this bill has reached this place. In the last Parliament, my colleague, the hon. member for Ottawa South, introduced Bill C-232, a forerunner of this very bill. That legislation passed this House unanimously, with the support of every party and every member in this chamber. It was a rare moment of unity that reminded us what Parliament is capable of when we come together in the spirit of national recognition. Before I go any further, I want to thank the member for Ottawa South for all the work that he has done and his leadership in championing this bill in its earlier form in the last Parliament.
Today I am proud to sponsor Bill S-227. I want to sincerely thank Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak for his leadership in reintroducing this legislation in the other place and guiding it all the way through the upper chamber with determination and grace. I also want to recognize the valuable contributions of colleagues from all sides of the House in support of this bill. I would like to thank the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry for sharing his personal background, the tremendous highlighting of the economic contributions of Arab Canadians and their role in shaping Canadian prosperity. The words of the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Government House Leader on the importance of education and cultural awareness were timely and very important to that first hour of debate. The reflections of the hon. member for Edmonton Manning, my good friend, on the vibrant Arab community from coast to coast to coast, in Alberta but also across the country, have really brought warmth and insight to this important debate.
I thank the member for Jonquière for his perspective on North African and Arab migration to Quebec. I also thank him for highlighting the importance of student mobility, civic inclusion and mutual understanding.
I thank the hon. member for Windsor for his remarks on cross-border connections between Arab Canadians and Arab Americans and the unique contributions that Arab Canadians have made and continue to make, not just to his community but right across the country. I share that sense of pride and of the importance of recognizing this Canadian community. Each of those members built the foundation for today's debate, and I want to thank them.
Thank you, everyone.
This bill proposes that every year the month of April be designated as Arab heritage month in Canada. It is a month that will allow Canadians to learn, reflect and celebrate the contributions of Arab Canadians, their history, culture and heritage. It is an opportunity to recognize the diversity within the Arab Canadian community and to highlight the stories of perseverance, innovation, creativity and resilience.
At its core, this bill is about community and what it means to be part of the Canadian family, to be recognized, to be valued, and to be woven into the larger story of who we are together. Arab heritage month is not only about celebration, though there is much to celebrate. It is also about belonging, to be recognized officially by one's country, to have space in the national calendar that says, “Your story matters, and your identity is part of our collective story.” That is no small thing.
This bill is about more than recognition. It is about education, representation and healing. It is about confronting stereotypes. It is about replacing fear with familiarity. It is about making space for stories long left untold. It is about telling young Arab Canadians, “Your heritage matters, your identity belongs, and your contributions are valued.” As the hon. member for Ottawa South said so eloquently in 2022, “It is high time to move beyond the notion of tolerating anyone. It is now entirely a question of celebrating each other”.
In closing, I want to thank the Speaker for giving me the opportunity to talk about this bill. I ask all members of the House to support the bill and send a message to Arab Canadians that this Parliament sees them, hears them and celebrates them.
Shukran.