Chandra Arya

[Housing, June 19th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, this government has made unprecedented investments in giving more Canadians a place to call home.

This week, we unveiled details about the new first-time homebuyer incentive, which will help middle-class families by making their mortgage payments more affordable.

Could the Prime Minister tell the House how the first-time homebuyer incentive will help middle-class families in my riding of Nepean and across Canada achieve the dream of buying their first home?

[Accomplishments in Nepean, June 7th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize Rabbi Howard Finkelstein, who was with Beit Tikvah synagogue in Nepean for last 28 years. I wish Rabbi Howard and his wife Rivka all the very best in their retirement.

I also wish to recognize Ted Bransfield, member of the Bells Corners Legion. Ted was recently named Legionnaire of the Year. Ted has sat down with 387 veterans to help with their benefits and claims. He is also actively involved with Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre.

I also wish to recognize the four Nepean churches that participated in this year's Big Give: Bibleway Ministries, Woodvale Pentecostal Church, Good Shepherd Barrhaven Church, and the Metropolitan Bible Church. This annual event supports those who are less fortunate by giving away all donated items free of cost.

[Petitions, May 17th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition signed by 5,000 parents. It calls for a national autism and special needs strategy in the presence of many of the parents today.

Across Canada, services for about 500,000 people with autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities remain inconsistent, depending on the provincial or territorial jurisdiction. Supporting an individual with ASD is beyond the financial means of most Canadians, and our school systems provide little assistance for those currently in schools and those transitioning into adulthood. Hence, we need a national autism and special needs strategy.

[Employment, May 10th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, the jobs report released today shows the biggest one-month gain since 1976.

Canadians created over 106,000 jobs, mostly full-time jobs. Wage growth has also gone up. More businesses are investing. More employers are hiring. More Canadians have good-paying jobs.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment tell us what we are doing to continue the success?

[Sinhalese Heritage Day, May 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to host the first very successful Sinhalese Heritage Day on Parliament Hill on April 27 with about 500 Sinhalese Canadians.

I would like to thank Edward Anura Ferdinand and his team at the Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa for their dedication in organizing this.

I would also like to recognize the SLCAO Seniors Group, the Hilda Jayewardenaramaya temple of Ottawa, the Sri Lanka United National Association of Canada in Toronto, the Sinhalese Association of Canada, the Canada Sri Lanka Association of Toronto, the Sri Lanka Canada Association of the Atlantic Region, the Sri Lankan Association of Manitoba, the Sri Lanka Canada Association of Montreal and the Toronto Sri Lankan Student Alumni Alliance.

The event showed that while integrating into Canadian society, we do keep in touch with our heritage.

[Civic Leaders, April 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I regularly visit the beautiful Jami Omar Mosque in Bells Corners in my riding of Nepean.

One of the key persons of the mosque is Imam Anver Malam, who was involved in all phases of the mosque's development, from conceptualizing the idea of building a mosque to making it a reality. Today, Jami Omar is an anchor for many community-related activities.

On Friday, April 19, Imam Malam addressed hundreds of worshippers, who spilled over the huge prayer hall, on the importance of civic engagement. He emphasized the need for the community to get actively involved in the democratic process of our country. He explained the importance and the impacts of the decision-making process of the policy-makers.

I take this opportunity to recognize and thank civic leaders like Imam Anver Malam.

[Muslim Community, March 22nd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, after the recent terrorist attack which killed 50 Muslims praying in a mosque in New Zealand, the Prime Minister, to show solidarity with Muslim Canadians, visited SNMC mosque in my riding of Nepean. He addressed over 1,000 people and held a meeting with young Muslim Canadians.

Words matter. I call upon all political leaders to check whether the words they use or the actions they take create an environment that provides a platform for extreme anti-Muslim or anti-immigration individuals or groups.

I am thankful to SNMC mosque and Dr. Emdad Khan, Imam Zijad Delic, Raheemuddin Syed, Dr. Asma Amjad, Muhammad Zulfikar Bangash and other volunteers and community leaders for organizing this visit.

[Petitions, March 19th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition given to me by Sathya Sai School, which organized the first Walk for Values in Toronto 16 years ago. This walk highlights five universal principles: truth, right conduct, peace, love and non-violence. It is the school's hope that the Government of Canada joins the five provinces and the 107 cities and towns that have declared April 24 as World Human Values Day.

[Activities in Black History Month, February 26th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, as a part of celebrating Black History Month, I was pleased to host the first African Day on Parliament Hill.

I would like to thank the volunteer team led John Adeyefa and Hector Addison of the African Canadian Association of Ottawa. I would also like to recognize students Jada Baptiste and Dana Amegatse of St. Mother Theresa High School in Nepean for organizing an event in their school.

I would like to thank a few hard-working community leaders, including Sahada Alolo, co-chair of the Ottawa Police Community Equity Council; Dorris Ngaiza of Tanzanian Canadians; Hodan Egale of the Somali Canadian Youth Centre; Moses Pratt of the Global Community Alliance, Chuks lmahiagbe and Wale Adesanya from the Nigerian Canadian Association, Francis Yel of the South Sudan community, and Dr. Thomas Ngwa and Franklin Epape of the Cameroon Canadian community.

[International Mother Language Day, February 21st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, in 2007, the United Nations declared today, February 21, as International Mother Language Day. This was initiated by Mr. Rafiqul Islam, a Bangladeshi Canadian, to pay tribute to the 1952 martyrs of the Bangla movement, where Bangladeshi freedom fighters fought and died for the language of Bangla to be recognized as an official language.

Today, at 12:01 a.m., I paid tribute at a shaheed minar that was specially built by Mr. Shah Bahauddin and his team of the Bangladesh Canada Association of Ottawa Valley.

Last Saturday, I attended an event at Ottawa City Hall, organized by Dr. Monjur Chowdhury and his team of Bangla Caravan and PEACE.

I will be attending, on International Mother Language Day, the Bangladeshi movie Fagun Haway, organized by Tanjib Chowdhury and his team of Bangladeshi Canadian--Canadian Bangladeshi.