Gary Anandasangaree

[Filipino Heritage Month, October 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today once again in support of Motion No. 155 to designate the month of June as Filipino heritage month. As I initially indicated, I would like to thank my good friend and colleague from Scarborough Centre for bringing forward this important motion.

As members know, Filipino Canadians are the third-largest Asian Canadian group in our country. The 2016 Canadian census shows that over 837,000 people of Filipino descent live in Canada, and that is expected to hit one million in a few years. The same data tell us that Tagalog is the fastest-growing language in Canada. Based on a study conducted from 2011 to 2016, the use of Tagalog has increased by a staggering 35%. The Filipino community has embraced Canada, and Canada has welcomed and will continue to welcome its heritage, culture and contributions. Therefore, on the government's part, I am pleased to support this motion.

Before I get to the substantive areas of my comments, I want to acknowledge the enormous Filipino community in Scarborough, who work very hard. I know I have a significant population. Just recently, the Filipino Centre Toronto moved from downtown Toronto to Scarborough in the riding of my good friend, the member for Scarborough North. Koro Pilipino is a choir group that regularly goes to St. Joseph's, and I often go there for Christmas. St. Joseph's Christmas mass is one of the things that I look forward to during that season. As well, there is Seniors in Action, a very vibrant senior population of Filipino Canadians who have, in their retirement and twilight years, danced away many evenings throughout the year. St. Joseph's Parish is located in my riding. It is the only Catholic church in my riding and we have monthly Filipino masses. It is one that I often attend, especially during holidays. Of course, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate my good friend, Garry Tanuan, who has just been re-elected as the local Catholic school board trustee.

This is the type of vibrant Filipino Canadian community that exists in the Scarborough—Rouge Park riding, and in Scarborough generally. This is not unique to Scarborough. The Filipino Canadian community is vibrant and strong in many parts of this country. My good friend from Winnipeg North routinely talks about their successes, as do many other colleagues.

I want to give some perspective. June is an important month in Philippine history and culture. Independence Day takes place on June 12. It is an annual celebration that is celebrated not just in the Philippines but around the world, in recognition of the independence of the Philippines from Spain in 1898. Recognizing June as Filipino heritage month would speak to the historical and cultural significance of this month to the vibrant community.

Canadians of Filipino heritage have contributed in many invaluable ways to the fabric of our society. Many Filipino Canadians have received international recognition for their work and established themselves as leaders and trendsetters in their fields. They continue to leave an indelible mark on our diverse fabric in every aspect of our lives, strengthening Canada in this process.

Filipino Canadians have attained notable political stature in Canada, and are tireless champions of multiculturalism and advocates for the most vulnerable members of our society. The Hon. Rey Pagtakhan made history by being the first Filipino Canadian to be elected to Parliament. In 1988, he won a seat in the House of Commons in the riding of Winnipeg North. Mr. Pagtakhan served as a parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien from 1996 to 1998, and was the first Filipino Canadian appointed to cabinet when he took on the role of secretary of state in 2001. In 2017, he was invested as a member of the Order of Manitoba. As an anti-racism champion, he was given an award in September 2018 by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Incidentally, today is the 25th anniversary of the election of Prime Minister Chrétien, if I could just digress for a moment.

Filipino Canadians are very prominent in Canadian film, television, radio broadcasting, newspapers and magazines. They are active in their communities, whether it be helping newcomers through the Multicultural Helping House Society in Vancouver or organizing festivals, like the Taste of Manila, Manitoba Filipino Street Festival and Fiesta Filipino Calgary. They are business owners and add invaluable diversity to our multicultural country.

The Filipino community has given Canada so much. Its hard work and dedication has a vast impact on culture and heritage and is often overlooked.

One of the interesting statistics about Filipino Canadians is that there are more women of Filipino heritage than men. This is in part due to the immigration patterns, where oftentimes many women have undertaken the journey to Canada to work in precarious employment situations. Their labour is essentially used in many parts of our country to support Canadians, be it through the health care system or through assistance for children or seniors. It is an enormously difficult situation. Oftentimes people are separated from their families for many years.

I know of the hard work of many of these mothers, particularly, and I want to thank them for their sacrifice. These women have worked so hard to build a life for themselves and their families. It is that bold and difficult journey that has really bolstered the community to the numbers we see today, and the contributions they make throughout our country.

I want to give an example. Mikey Bustos is a vlogger, actor and author. He is a popular YouTuber with over 375 million views on his channels. His popularity has won him prizes and accolades. In addition, he was a finalist on Canadian Idol.

There are other examples, like Martina Ortiz-Luis, a prominent young singer of Philippine heritage. She was on Parliament Hill to sing O Canada this past year.

Maria Aragon is a prominent singer of Filipino descent. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her rendition of Born this Way by Lady Gaga went viral and reached over 11 million views within a week. Her cover also garnered her a performance with Lady Gaga herself in 2011.

This designation of June as Filipino heritage month would enable all Canadians an opportunity to reflect on, celebrate and appreciate the history, heritage and important contributions of the Filipino Canadian community and to celebrate their successes.

Our multicultural heritage is about more than just a commitment to welcoming diverse people from around the world. It is a commitment to principles of equality and freedom, grounded in human rights and enshrined in our laws and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The contributions of Filipino Canadians are vital to our social, economic and political fabric. Today we have an opportunity to acknowledge the critical role Filipino Canadians have in Canada's rich cultural fabric as a country and an opportunity to recognize that their contributions to Canada are appreciated and valued.

Once again, I would like to thank my good friend from Scarborough Centre for bringing forward this motion and reiterate our support for making each June Filipino heritage month.

[Multiculturalism, October 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is an open and diverse country, but there are still real challenges for many people in this country.

Throughout our history and even today, there are many people and communities who experience systemic racism, oppression and discrimination, preventing them from fully participating in our society.

These experiences are still felt by many Canadians, and now we can and must do better. That is why we are engaging communities across the country and people with lived experiences to modernize our approach and to develop concrete solutions to these problems. That is why we are undertaking these consultations. As we speak right now, our Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism is in one of those sessions.

[Indigenous Affairs, October 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians understand that diversity is our strength. While we have much to celebrate, we know that there are still real challenges for many people in this country. Throughout our history, there have been people and communities, particularly indigenous peoples, who have experienced systemic racism, oppression and discrimination that has prevented them from fully participating in society. We know these experiences are a reality for many, and we can and must do better. This is why our government is engaging communities and experts to modernize our approach and to take action on this really important issue.

[Autism, October 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate SAAAC, the South Asian Autism Awareness Centre, located in Scarborough for its work in the past 10 years helping hundreds of young people on the autism spectrum and their families.

One out of 66 children born in Canada is on the spectrum. However, services to support these children are inadequate. SAAAC started in the basement of the house of its executive director, Geetha Moorthy, and has developed into the state-of-the-art facility it is today. The new centre came together due to her visionary leadership and the enormous support of retiring Toronto city councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker. Last month, I was proud to join our Prime Minister in opening the centre.

As we celebrate National Autism Awareness Month and Thanksgiving this weekend, I just want to say how thankful I am to have SAAAC in our community, for all of its volunteers, its staff, champions and a group of incredible parents who advocate and support their children.

To the young people who are served by SAAAC, I want to affirm that we will continue to support their reaching their full potential. I thank them for inspiring us.

[Sikh Heritage Month Act, October 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker,

[Member spoke in Punjabi]

[English]

I rise today on behalf of our government to add my voice in support of Bill C-376, an act to designate the month of April as Sikh heritage month, which seeks to recognize the enormous contributions of Sikh Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

I acknowledge that I am speaking here on the traditional unceded lands of the Algonquin peoples.

First and foremost, I want to thank my good friend from Surrey—Newton for bringing forward this private member's bill.

Before I speak on the substance of the bill, permit me to share with members the pride and strength of the Sikh community in Scarborough, the area that I represent.

Gursikh Sabha Canada in Scarborough was built by sheer determination, strength and sense of community of a small, but vibrant Sikh community in northeastern Toronto. This community in Scarborough faced the challenges of racism head on. ln building the gurdwara, the community faced opposition, but the community organized and challenged convention that opened the doors for many more places of worship of various faiths to take hold in Scarborough.

Gursikh Sabha celebrated its 30th anniversary recently and I am so grateful for the warmth and generosity extended not just to me but to all my colleagues.

It is a well-known fact that Canada is one of the most diverse countries in the world. Today, Canada's Sikh population is more than 500,000, making it the second largest Sikh population in the world. Canadians of Sikh descent contribute to Canada's social fabric in many ways and one of their most visible and most influential contributions is seva.

Sikhs have been living in Canada for over 120 years and Sikh Canadians have helped build our country from coast to coast to coast, working on the railroads, in the lumber mills, in mines and in farming fields across our great country.

Today, many Sikh Canadians have received international recognition for their work and have established themselves as leaders and trendsetters in their field of expertise. This progress has not been without its challenges.

Although today Sikh Canadians are seen as an integral part of the Canadian mosaic, this was not always the case.

ln 1914, the Komagata Maru, a Japanese ship carrying Sikhs fleeing India, was turned away by Canadian authorities and was forced to return to lndia where 20 of the more than 300 passengers were killed by British authorities. ln 2016, the Prime Minister apologized to Sikh Canadians on behalf of the Canadian government for this unspeakable act.

It is noteworthy that the same year the Komagata Maru with its passengers, including veterans of the British Indian army, were sent back to India, three young Sikh men enlisted in Smiths Falls, Ontario, to fight in World War I. Their names had been lost to history until very recently, when Private Buckam Singh's grave was discovered in Kitchener and then this year in September, when the names of Lashman Singh and Waryam Singh were added to the cenotaph in Smiths Falls. This dedication to Canada, despite not being accorded basic civil rights, such as the right to vote, should never be forgotten.

Today, Sikh Canadians continue to contribute to every single aspect of our society, from excelling in business to representing Canada at the Olympics to introducing the world to Sikh and Canadian arts and culture.

One of the most visible contributions is right in the House of Commons and other legislatures across the country. Sikh Canadians have attained some of the highest political offices in Canada. I would like to especially mention a few members of our cabinet namely, the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, among many other colleagues of the Sikh faith in the chamber.

I wish to personally take this opportunity to thank my good friend from Mississauga—Malton, who is also the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, who in many ways opened the door for someone like me to be here. I suspect many of my colleagues will share in the same sentiment.

In 1988, Canada became the first nation to proclaim the Multiculturalism Act. The act requires that we continually safeguard equality for all Canadians, in all economic, social, cultural and political aspects of their lives. Our multicultural heritage is about more than just a commitment to welcoming diverse people from around the world. It is a commitment to principles of equality and freedom, grounded in human rights and enshrined in our legislative frameworks, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, 1988.

This was most evident in the case of Inspector Baltej Singh Dhillon, whom I had the opportunity to meet in person last year, and his quest to serve Canadians by joining the RCMP. As most members of the House will remember, there was a public debate that turned very ugly very quickly. Dhillon never set out to be a hero, or even a poster child for the charter, but in his humble way, he respectfully sought the right to wear a turban in the RCMP. Much hate was propagated against him, but he simply resisted and stood his ground.

At times he was alone, but he was emboldened by the support of his community and his many allies around the country. After some 18 months, the government caved, and in 1991 Baltej Singh Dhillon became the first of many turbaned Sikhs to join the RCMP and many other places where uniforms are required.

Hundreds of people like Mr. Dhillon have led a subtle fight with quiet confidence and great dignity. Some have defied public perception, while others have brought the fight to Parliament or turned to the Supreme Court of Canada to have their rights recognized. They were not looking to change the course of history. They only wanted our governments to treat them with respect and dignity.

Diversity is a core component of our Canadian identity. Canada is becoming increasingly diverse, which is also reflective of the growing presence of individuals of Sikh heritage across the country. The contributions of Sikh Canadians are vital to the social, economic and political fabric of our nation.

Finally, I would like to thank all Sikh Canadians for contributing to our great country. Celebrating our interconnectedness and the many unique communities and cultures that thrive here gives us a chance to discover what we all share in common. This allows us to fully appreciate the value of our differences. In celebrating our diversity, we learn about our common struggles and our shared values. We learn how far we have come, but also what hurdles must still be overcome. We thank the Sikh Canadian community for opening many doors and overcoming many obstacles that have forever changed our country for the better.

[Member spoke in Punjabi]

[English]

[Filipino Heritage Month, October 1st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to continuing this debate in its second hour. It is a very significant move on the part of this House to recognize one of the fastest-growing communities across Canada. In fact, there are over 800,000 people of Filipino heritage who live from coast to coast to coast.

As my friend from Winnipeg North indicated, there are very few places in Canada where one will not find a Filipino community. It is the sheer determination of many people who have been coming here since the 1950s and all the way to this year, that has seen this community grow, persevere, work hard and really strive, not only to make a better place for themselves but also for a better life for all Canadians.

I look forward to resuming the debate next time.

[Petitions, September 27th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of Tamil Canadians and their allies in solidarity with the courageous efforts of protesting Tamil families of the disappeared from the north and east of the island. Beginning in February 2017, Tamil families of the disappeared have protested continuously across the north and east for over 500 days.

The petitioners are seeking the release of the list of surrenderees from the end of the armed conflict, the release of the list of all the past and present secret detention centres held in Sri Lanka and the release of a list of those held under the draconian prevention of terrorism act.

[Bills of Exchange Act, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I too share and echo your sentiments vis-à-vis the people of Ottawa-Gatineau, as well as the first responders and all those who were involved in assisting the families who were deeply affected by the events of last Friday.

I am honoured to contribute to this debate. I am pleased to acknowledge that I do so on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin people.

I thank the member for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River for introducing this bill. I also thank her for her ongoing work to achieve reconciliation.

The idea behind this bill is to establish a national holiday that will allow Canadians to reflect upon and understand the long and painful history relating to indigenous people. The road to reconciliation between Canada and indigenous peoples requires all Canadians to understand our shared history and acknowledge past wrongs while creating a path forward. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action provide all Canadians with this renewed path forward for Canada's journey of healing and reconciliation.

This bill is inspired by call to action 80, which states:

We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

That is why when the calls to action were released in June 2015, the Prime Minister, who was then the leader of the Liberal Party in opposition, immediately affirmed the unwavering support of the Liberal Party of Canada and our parliamentary caucus for all the TRC's recommendations and called on the Government of Canada to take immediate action to implement them. When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report in December 2015, the Prime Minister then committed the Government of Canada to working “...in partnership with Indigenous communities, the provinces, territories, and other vital partners, we will fully implement the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, starting with the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

This past June, our government supported and passed Bill C-262, an act to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, also known as UNDRIP. In February, our government established a recognition of rights framework, which is a fundamental shift in approach between Canada and indigenous peoples. Today, there are over 60 rights recognition tables around the country that seek to advance the process of this recognition and ultimately self-determination.

Our Prime Minister noted earlier this year that reconciliation calls upon all of us to confront our past and commit to charting a brighter, more inclusive future. We must acknowledge that centuries of colonial practices have denied the inherent rights of indigenous peoples. The recognition and implementation of indigenous rights will chart a new way forward for our government to work with first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to undo decades of mistrust, poverty, broken promises and injustices.

We have listened and learned, and we will work together to take concrete action to build a better future and a new relationship. Over the past three budgets, the government has invested significantly to advance the implementation of the calls to action and to support the crucial work with our indigenous partners to identify and address joint priorities. In fact, progress has already been made on over 80% of the calls to action under federal and/or shared responsibility. However, we know that more must be done and that we need to be held accountable for advancing this crucial work.

The National Council for Reconciliation's interim board of directors presented its final report to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations on June 12. According to the final report, setting up a national council for long-term reconciliation with adequate funding and enabling legislation is important for indigenous peoples, Canadians and the government. The council will have to report periodically to ensure ongoing oversight and accountability on implementing the Truth and Reconciliation's calls to action.

The National Council for Reconciliation's mandate will be to advance reconciliation efforts through the development and implementation of a multi-year national action plan for reconciliation.

The conclusion of the final report makes the following poignant observation:

We believe that hope is the first step in reconciliation. We believe hope is the basic building block upon which reconciliation must lay its foundation. We must plant and nurture seeds of hope in Indigenous communities and in the greater Canadian public. Hope gives us the belief that all action matters, no matter how small and no matter by whom. With trust, Canadians and Indigenous peoples can work together on building a new future, a better future. It all begins with hope.

We also need all Canadians to know what progress is being made.

The work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has opened the eyes of many Canadians to the horrific truths of residential schools.

The Indian residential school system was a systematic plan to remove indigenous children from their homes, families and cultures to facilitate the stated policy of “killing the Indian in the child.”

During my tenure on the indigenous affairs committee, we heard from so many survivors of the residential school system. The member for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou has shared his experience with all of us and has educated all of us in the House of his time in residential schools. Survivors like him continue to educate all Canadians of our past but equally, inspire us to do better.

All Canadians have a responsibility to educate themselves about this dark chapter of our shared history and work toward repairing the intergenerational damage caused by this appalling policy.

This is why our government is unequivocally committed to the implementation of the TRC calls to action and will be supporting sending this legislation to committee for further study.

"Reconciliation is not an Aboriginal problem; it is a Canadian one." These are words from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report and words that the member from Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River quoted in her speech when she introduced the bill that we are debating today. I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment.

Healing the damage of residential schools will require the sustained action of not only involved governments, but other institutions and all Canadians.

The need to achieve reconciliation is a fundamental truth and is beyond partisan politics. That is why I am so pleased that the recent motion put forward by the member for Timmins—James Bay calling on the Pope to implement call to action 58 and issue an apology on behalf of the Catholic Church to residential school survivors, their families and communities passed with the overwhelming support of the House.

We look forward to working across party lines to ensure that this legislation fulfills call to action 80 and reflects the “collaboration with aboriginal peoples” contained in its text.

Together, we will chart a path forward that advances reconciliation and builds a stronger future for indigenous peoples and Canadians alike.

[World Refugee Day, June 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on this World Refugee Day, I rise to commemorate the strength, courage, and perseverance of the 22.5 million refugees presently around the world. Our world has become an unwelcome place for refugees. As people flee to safety, to borders or to shores, they are routinely barred from entry. Refugee families and children are split up and incarcerated. Women and children face sexual and gender-based violence at alarming rates. LGBTQ2 refugees face increased persecution. Refugees live in deplorable conditions, with limited food, medicine, and water. Being a refugee is not a crime, and being born a refugee should not be a life sentence.

Canadians are proud to have welcomed generation after generation of refugees. However, we cannot ignore our failures, such as the Komagata Maru and MS St. Louis incidents. We need to learn from the past and make sure we offer a safe, welcoming environment to all those who reach our borders seeking protection.

[Petitions, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ottawa Valley chapter, asking the federal government to recognize the boundaries of Gatineau Park in Canadian law and pass legislation to ensure its protection for future generations.