Deepak Obhrai

[Foreign Affairs, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, yes indeed the Minister of Foreign Affairs is working very hard and diligently with the City of Montreal and the Province of Quebec to ensure that ICAO remains in its natural home, Montreal.

Yesterday, the members of this House unanimously agreed to support those efforts, but within minutes the NDP's foreign affairs critic was out in the media, practically backing Qatar and undermining the campaign by team Canada. Just for once, we would hope that the New Democrats would promote Canada internationally, instead of running it down, and that they would join us in standing up for Canada, for Quebec and for Montreal.

[Foreign Affairs, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we offer our sincerest condolences to the people of Bangladesh. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bangladesh and to those who lost family members or friends in this tragedy.

Canada remains concerned about dangerous working conditions in the global garment sector. Canada is a member of the International Labour Organization. We urge Bangladesh to live up to the international agreement, ILO Convention 81, Labour Inspection Convention, which it has ratified. It is very important that all governments take concrete measures to provide workers with safe and healthy working conditions.

[Foreign Affairs, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we are working with the provinces, the city and others to keep ICAO where it belongs: in Montreal. We are dismayed by the way Qatar has been going about it. It undermines what has been a very strong and successful partnership. We have a deal to keep, and we will work very aggressively with our partners to keep ICAO where it is, and that is in Montreal.

[RED FM Radio Station, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate RED FM on the official launch of its new radio station in Calgary today.

Originally started in the Vancouver area in 2005 with studios in Surrey, RED FM has become a leader in South Asian programming. True to its slogan of “Reflecting Ethnic Diversity”, RED FM has featured programming in more than a dozen languages in addition to Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.

RED FM is also a community staple, a leader in several fundraising efforts for charitable causes.

Our own Minister of Citizenship and Immigration will be in attendance in Calgary today. He will be participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and launching the new station on the air.

I ask that my hon. colleagues in the House join me in congratulating the South Asian Broadcasting Corporation and all those involved with the new RED FM at 106.7 in Calgary today.

[Foreign Affairs, April 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we are very much concerned with these reports, and remain in close contact with our allies. Our government has been consistently very clear on this issue. The international community will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by Assad on the Syrian people. Ultimately, Assad and his supporters will be held accountable.

[Foreign Affairs, April 24th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I will only agree on one thing that he said. ICAO staying in Montreal is very important for Canada.

That is the reason the minister is personally ready and willing to work with the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal to keep ICAO in such a world-class city. We will do everything we can. In fact, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has spoken to the Prime Minister of Qatar twice in the last two days about this issue.

Let me say again, once more, that we will work very hard to keep ICAO in Montreal.

[Foreign Affairs, April 24th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I am going to tell the hon. member again that the presence of the headquarters in Montreal is very important for Canada, and we are working very hard to keep ICAO in Montreal.

The minister is personally ready and willing and keen to work with the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal to keep ICAO in such a world-class city. As a matter of fact, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has spoken to the Prime Minister of Qatar twice in the last two days on this issue. We will continue working very hard to keep ICAO in Montreal.

[Foreign Affairs, April 24th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, our government is working very hard to keep the ICAO in Montreal. The minister is personally ready, willing and keen to work with the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal to keep ICAO in such a world-class city as Montreal.

We have reached an agreement with ICAO that is good for all involved. That is why it was supported by the ICAO council. We believe the presence of its headquarters in Montreal represents an economic benefit of more than $100 million each year.

[Foreign Affairs, April 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, Canada condemns the aggressive and destabilizing action of the Iranian regime, including the blatant support that Iran provides to terrorist groups. Canada views the regime in Iran as the biggest threat to international peace and security in the world today.

The Government of Canada in no way condones the actions of the Iranian regime. We are always looking out for and standing up for the interests of Canadians.

[Nigeria, April 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, media reports indicate that at least 185 people lost their lives in the chaotic battle between Nigeria's military and the violent Islamist extremists, which saw insurgents target neighbourhoods with rocket-propelled grenades. While the exact number of fatalities is not yet known, this incident stands as one of the deadliest encounters so far with the religious extremists of Boko Haram.

Since 2009, Nigeria has been facing a religious extremist insurgency carried out by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram and Ansaru. It has claimed the lives of 2,000 to 3,000 innocent civilians. I deeply regret the loss of life and express my deep condolences to the people of Nigeria.

This violence highlights the danger of terrorism and the global need to address this threat. Our government firmly supports the people and the government of Nigeria in their efforts to bring about a secure, stable, unified and democratic country.