Eva Nassif

[Metropolitan Montreal Deaf Community Centre, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of meeting the 250 members of the deaf community who attended the gala dinner to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Metropolitan Montreal Deaf Community Centre, an event that took place in my riding, Vimy, on Saturday, October 27.

The organization is dedicated to making the world a better place for the deaf and hearing impaired community. Those individuals, most of whom are illiterate, live off income security and EI benefits, are often victims of various forms of abuse and live very isolated lives.

I was delighted to celebrate the only organization that offers so many services to the deaf community of greater Montreal.

Once again, I want to congratulate Gilles Read, the executive director, and the centre's board of directors on their achievements over the past 40 years and the important work they do to raise awareness about deafness.

[Armistice Day, November 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on November 4, I had the honour of joining many Laval residents for the annual Armistice Day parade organized by Chomedey Royal Canadian Legion Branch 251 in my riding of Vimy.

Every year, this is an opportunity for Canadians to honour the soldiers who served Canada in the past and those who are serving today, sacrificing everything to defend our country.

We remember their bravery, recognize their courage and pay tribute to the invaluable work they do to maintain peace and security.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart the soldiers who fought in that war. Thanks to them, we now know peace.

Thank you to our veterans, to our soldiers and to all those brave Canadians.

Lest we forget.

[Pensions, November 2nd, 2018]

Madam Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour announced changes to the Canada Labour Code. We have all heard the stories of Sears workers. In my riding, Vimy, the layoffs also affected our community. Middle-class workers in Vimy felt they were not well served by Conservative policies, which only benefited the wealthy.

Could the parliamentary secretary tell the House what these announcements mean for middle-class Canadians in my riding?

[Sikh Heritage Month Act, November 1st, 2018]

Madam Speaker,

[Member spoke in Punjabi]

[Translation]

I am pleased to rise today at third reading of Bill C-376, an act to designate the month of April as Sikh heritage month. This bill was sponsored by my colleague, the hon. member for Surrey—Newton, and it highlights the many contributions made by Sikh Canadians. It is estimated that 500,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage live in Canada. According to some sources, Canada has the second-largest Sikh population in the world.

I would like to explain why I support this motion. It is in line with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which officially recognizes multiculturalism as a Canadian value. It is also in line with the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, which is based on a multiculturalism policy designed to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians.

Vaisakhi is celebrated in April. This month marks the birth of Khalsa and his teachings of equality, community service and social justice. For many years, I have participated in these celebrations with the Sikh community in Vimy, in Montreal, and I can say that this community contributes significantly to Canadian society. The Sikh heritage and the richness of this community's language and culture must be protected for future generations.

[Member spoke in Punjabi]

[Petitions, October 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition that I sponsored and that was recently certified for presentation in the House.

Petition e-1530 has to do with women's rights, and it calls on the Government of Canada to intervene to require that all firms and organizations, whether private or public, increase women's representation on their boards of directors, achieve parity and prevent sexual discrimination.

This petition was created by Christine Poulin and obtained 582 signatures.

[Corrections and Conditional Release Act, October 23rd, 2018]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his impressive speech.

I sit on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. We heard witnesses from the indigenous community. We noted that a large number of indigenous women who are victims of domestic violence are in prison.

Can my colleague explain how Bill C-83 will improve living conditions for women who are victims of domestic violence knowing that a great many of them are in prison?

[Persons Day, October 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to applaud the Canadiennes, Montreal's Canadian Women's Hockey League team, for their terrific performance in the October 13 season opener at Place Bell in Laval, in my riding of Vimy.

The game ended in victory for the Canadiennes over the Calgary Inferno. I want to congratulate the players on both teams for their perseverance and teamwork and for the passion they bring to every game.

Since this is Women's History Month and today is Persons Day, I am especially proud to see women making their mark and encouraging young Canadian women to follow their passion and never give up.

Please join me in celebrating women's participation in every aspect of public life in Canada.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, October 3rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, next week is Citizenship Week.

Our government made significant reforms to the Citizenship Act in order to ensure fairness while preserving the integrity of our citizenship program, which was exploited by the Harper Conservatives to create division.

Can the Prime Minister tell the House about the progress that has been made since our government made changes to Canada's citizenship program?

[Petitions, October 1st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present petition e-1540, initiated by Vladyslav Pashynskyy on behalf of members of the community of language professionals, students, colleagues and allies working in various fields.

They are seeking the government's help to improve working conditions for language professionals. This would be achieved through the creation of internships and jobs and by promoting respect for the profession from clients and employers.

This petition was launched in February 2018 and has more than 500 signatures.

[Gender-Based Violence, June 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, #MeToo and Time's Up have shone a light on the consequences of sexism, misogyny, and gender-based violence, renewing calls for gender equality.

A year ago today, our government announced “It's Time: Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence”. This first federal strategy on gender-based violence, with an investment of nearly $200 million, is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and the promotion of responsive justice and legal systems.

Over the past year, our government has taken action. By taking steps such as providing about 7,000 new or refurbished beds for women fleeing violence, undertaking a review of sexual assault cases that had been deemed unfounded, and investing $20 million in projects to support survivors of violence and their families, our government has demonstrated its commitment to ending gender-based violence and helping survivors rebuild their lives.