John Carmichael

[Telecommunications, March 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been clear. They want their government to make decisions that will lead to more choice, lower prices, and better service in the wireless sector. For new wireless companies to be able to compete and provide choice to Canadians, spectrum is essential.

Could the Minister of Industry please update the House on how last week's AWS-3 spectrum auction will deliver more choice for consumers in the wireless market?

[Citizenship and Immigration, March 9th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, under our government, trade, investment, and tourism between Canada and China has been growing to the benefit of Canadian families and workers. Could the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration please tell us more about the exciting announcement made this weekend that will make it easier for Canadians to travel to China?

[Industry, February 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's suite of policies—low taxes, global trade opportunities, investment policies, and a skilled workforce—have kept Canada's auto sector competitive among global leaders.

Over a year ago, our government made a strategic investment in the Oakville assembly plant that has helped transform it into one of Ford's most innovative facilities.

Would the Minister of Industry please explain how our government is encouraging investment, strengthening Canada's economy, and creating high-quality jobs for Canadians?

[Rise in anti-Semitism, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure a brief response is possible, but let me address the issue that the member for Mount Royal did earlier, and that is the quote from the Ottawa protocol. It states:

Criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic, and saying so is wrong. But singling Israel out for selective condemnation and opprobrium—let alone denying its right to exist or seeking its destruction—is discriminatory and hateful, and not saying so is dishonest.

The answer to part of the member's question, because clearly there was quite a bit in her comments, is that any form of hate within our society is unacceptable and we have to find ways to confront it. What we are seeing right now with ISIS and terrorism in the Middle East is a cause for serious concern for all of us, and the House is alarmed by that as a whole.

I believe that we have to find ways to address these issues. Clearly, tonight we are dealing with anti-Semitism and the growth of it across the globe, but in Canada we are able to focus a little more clearly on issues that are more relevant here, and what happened in Montreal today is a clear example of that.

I recently had the opportunity to go to Israel with the Prime Minister. I stood on the border of Syria and Jordan at one point with a group of members of Parliament, and we welcomed refugees as they streamed across the border. One of the privileges of this job is to be able to go places and see things that many people would not have the opportunity to see. I have to say that my heart was torn out for the children, seniors, and people streaming across the border with all the worldly belongings they could carry. They were fleeing from hate, loss of life due to war, and conditions that we cannot understand in our society, and that is what we are fighting.

[Rise in anti-Semitism, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, the Ottawa protocol was important because it brought focus and definition clearly to issues that had to be developed and discussed. Tonight, what an incredible opportunity this is for us to gather as colleagues to discuss these issues in unanimity and to arrive at a place where we clearly agree that this has to be addressed.

The member talks about the Ottawa protocol. I want to address one item that I thought was particularly poignant, and that is:

The Inquiry Panel's conclusion, unfortunately, is that the scourge of anti-Semitism is a growing threat in Canada, especially on the campuses of our universities.

The report cites numerous examples of anti-Semitism on various campuses, including the infamous incident in 2009 when Jewish students at York University were chased and barricaded themselves in the Hillel Lounge, while a mob outside taunted them with anti-Semitic slurs.

The list of examples goes on, but it is important that we identify and hold accountable those where these types of situations occur. The Ottawa protocol provides the tools and the ability for us to do just that.

[Rise in anti-Semitism, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I am honoured to participate in tonight's debate and discussion on the global rise of anti-Semitism.

Tonight I will be sharing my time with the member for Willowdale. I appreciate his intervention as well.

As is well known, promoting and defending freedom of religion are key Canadian foreign policy priorities. We believe that societies that protect freedom of religion or belief are more likely to protect all other universal rights and fundamental freedoms. Through the Office of Religious Freedoms, established within the Department of Foreign Affairs and headed by Ambassador Andrew Bennett, Canada works internationally to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance on the basis of religion or belief.

The religious freedom fund is supporting three initiatives addressing anti-Semitism.

The fund is supporting the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' mandate by providing $500,000 to promote religious freedom, particularly given the increasing anti-Semitism and discrimination against Christians and Muslims in some OSCE member states. This project aims to promote international standards on freedom of religion, focusing on communities in central Asia and the south Caucasus.

The fund also supported the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation by providing $400,000 to assist with the preservation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial site, part of the UNESCO world heritage list.

The most recent project supported by the fund is UNESCO's 2015 International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. The aim of this $100,000 project was to mobilize decision makers in favour of policies that promote Holocaust education, genocide prevention, and Holocaust awareness through different educational tools. On January 27 of this year, many members of this House and our government participated in these moving ceremonies held throughout the world.

As some hon. members know, Canada became a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, IHRA, in 2009. Ambassador Bennett was appointed head of the Canadian delegation to IHRA in March of 2014.

Canada actively encourages all states to take a zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitism. This can be achieved in part by becoming a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and supporting the principles outlined in the Ottawa protocol. The Ottawa protocol was in response to the alarming wave of anti-Semitism in Canada, especially on the campuses of many of our universities.

I would like to also recognize the member for Mount Royal tonight and thank him for his intervention in bringing some of those definitions and important measures forward for our understanding

The Ottawa protocol urges universities to combat anti-Semitism with:

...the same seriousness with which they confront other forms of hate. Specifically, universities should be invited to define antisemitism clearly, provide specific examples, and enforce conduct codes firmly, while ensuring compliance with freedom of speech and the principle of academic freedom.... Indeed, there should be zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind against anyone in the university community....

Canada must keep on fighting anti-Semitism by using all the tools at our disposal. I am pleased to add my voice in calling for zero tolerance not only on our university campuses but throughout the world. It is important that we reiterate “never again” to the Holocaust and to anti-Semitism. We must fight to bring it to an end with all the force we have available to us.

[Rise in anti-Semitism, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, to expand on the last question, I would ask the following of the member who talks about communication with his nephew and niece and starting at a young age. One of the issues we have talked about tonight is universities as breeding grounds for some of this hate, whether it is Israeli Apartheid Week or some of the other issues that have led to a great focus on anti-Semitism in Canada. Cutting that hatred off, cutting that anti-Semitism off, at the root appears to be the key to what we need to accomplish.

I wonder if the member would expand on what he might view as a solution to that, as something that might bring some positive results out of tonight's debate.

[Rise in anti-Semitism, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I agree with my colleague on the communication aspect and the fact that we cannot stifle debate. We have to keep the communication streams open and to find a way to ensure that what is right is spoken about and what is wrong is spoken about.

I also compliment my colleague who co-chaired the Ottawa protocol meetings and the issues that came out of that, identifying true hate and other issues that the House has to be forthright in addressing. By doing this tonight, all of us are clearly speaking to that support and a consensus, the fact that we are in agreement.

I wonder when we talk about some of the institutions of higher learning. I know there are levels of accountability that play a role. In talking about maintaining open lines of communication, addressing the issues, and identifying what is wrong, how would the member address the issues around universities, as an example, where accountability has to play a role in terms of who is responsible for allowing that hate to be manifest? How do we stop it?

[Anti-terrorism Act, 2015, February 23rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I am a bit perplexed. We are not talking about agitation today. We are talking about the real threat of terrorism on our shores, the threat that took the lives of two Canadian servicemen, the first time in our history.

Let me just express a quote from an individual who was originally a member of the third party. The speaker is the current mayor of Montreal, who was formerly a cabinet minister in that party when it was in government. He said that he expected Parliament to rapidly pass the anti-terrorism act of 2015.

Could the member opposite please tell this party what he intends to do in obstructing that? This situation is at a place of crisis where yesterday in Toronto we witnessed a memorial service for 21 Coptic Christians who were recently brutally beheaded. We saw a video yesterday that has been reported to have threatened a mall in our country.

It is time to stand and take action, and I encourage the member opposite to join us in that.

[Anti-terrorism Act, 2015, February 23rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, we have been following the growing threat of terrorism across the globe for the last number of years. We heard from a speaker earlier that clearly terrorism was something that we had witnessed for decades. However, the pace, the barbarity and the culture of this terrorism is growing at a rate that is alarming at least.

When we look back to October 22, we look to the threats to our country, we look at trials that are already under way in the country for threats that were made against rail lines recently and for the recent Boston bombing. We have to take action. We simply cannot stand back and say that what we have is good enough. We simply must react.

For my colleague opposite, I encourage him to join us in acting today.