Karen Vecchio

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, December 13th, 2017]

With regard to all the contracts entered into by each minister’s office or the funds from the budget allocated to each minister’s office, other than for the salaries of employees in that office, since April 23, 2016: what are the (i) names of the beneficiaries, (ii) amounts, (iii) contract dates, (iv) funding dates and durations, (v) titles of the individuals who signed the contract on behalf of the office, (vi) description of their purpose?

[Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act, December 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, it is because of colleagues from his NDP caucus that I have learned so much, and I would like to thank the members from that caucus I had the ability to work with. For me, this has been life-transforming. It has really opened up a world of understanding and compassion. I see myself as compassionate, but I am understanding more.

One particular section does not specifically have to do with the LGBTQ community. It is about how this can be expanded. We want to make sure that all people in this community have equal rights and do not have this looming over them. As we move forward in committee, there will be that one little section we may have to look at. However, it is not going to have a negative impact on that community specifically. We look forward to working together on this.

[Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act, December 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, any viewers will probably find that Parliament is not going to be as exciting today as they want it to be, because we are all in agreement here. The expungement of these records opens up freedoms, the freedom for one to travel or the freedom to have a job. For instance, people are doing things that are not seen as crimes, but when they apply for a job, the record shows that they have a criminal record. Something that has been pardoned in the past still shows up as a criminal record, so this expungement is extremely important.

I am not a legal guru, but I understand the impact of this bill. We have talked to people who say that they cannot get a job because they have a criminal record for this, or they cannot take their kids to Disney World. We have to recognize that there are many families that just want to travel across the border. It may be for work or it may be for recreation, but they are excluded from travel. This would just give them another step towards having a life like every other Canadian, an equal life for all.

[Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act, December 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to support Bill C-66, an act to establish a procedure for expunging certain historically unjust convictions and to make related amendments to other acts.

Today I will be short and sweet, because I believe that in this House we do have consensus, where all parties do agree that it is important to move forward on this.

As I have noted prior, I had the opportunity to speak to Canadians from coast to coast to coast who are part of the LGBTQ2 community. More specifically, I held consultations with several groups of individuals regarding the national apology. From all of the conversations and research that I did, one of the key requests from this community throughout this process was the request to expunge the records of Canadians who had been charged under the Criminal Code. The request to destroy and remove these judicial records would provide individuals the freedom of having their criminal records that have been looming over them for activities gone.

I had the opportunity to review this bill with the members for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles and St. Albert—Edmonton, following its tabling. Like any bill, there will be questions on specific sections but, overall, I support the principle of this bill. When reviewing the bill, section 25 specifically outlines the eligibility for an applicant, including the type of conviction, consent, and age requirements, things that I believe are all very important. I feel that this perfectly in line and safeguards Canadians from being eligible for offences that are outside of this realm.

The proposed schedule of offences would impact all Canadians, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. This is extremely important as it covers the particulars of the offences. For Canadians who do not have a criminal record, it is hard to realize some of the negative impacts that it has on individuals in many different types of circumstances. Criminal records can have an overwhelmingly negative impact on employment opportunities and opportunities for career advancement. For travel to the United States or for immigration purposes, Canadians with a criminal record can be banned from entering many countries.

Now take into consideration the group of Canadians that this legislation is targeting are no longer viewed as guilty of criminal offences. How unfair would it be to allow them to still have a criminal record, when we know that this is not a crime? It is totally life changing, and I believe that this legislation is doing its part.

As I indicated, I have had the opportunity to speak to many Canadians on this issue. From all of my consultations, every group and individual made the request to have the records of these criminal convictions expunged. It is truly obvious what needs to be done here.

As a Parliament, I believe it is extremely important that the legislation we have in front of us is done. It gives Canadians a way to move forward. I fully support Bill C-66 and look forward to seeing this legislation passed in order to see those who do not deserve these criminal records finally have some sort of peace. It is one step at a time, and I believe we are going in the right direction.

[Persons with Disabilities, December 5th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker:

So you probably have about 10 years left then now. That's good news for the Canadian government.

Can the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities please clarify what he meant when he said these words?

[Persons with Disabilities, December 5th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker:

Well you don't have it so bad. Everyone in Canada has a sob story.

Can the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities clarify what he meant by these words, which he recently used while meeting with a group of thalidomide patients?

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for using our former prime minister as an example. He did a great job.

Let us be honest here. We are seeing some changes. People are still writing to us today. I am not saying the previous government did all of the right things with respect to this. Terrorist attacks were taking place, even in Strathroy, Ontario, where people were looking at doing things in our great country. These people were raised here and radicalized here.

There is no perfect option to this. That is why I urge the government to hold consultations. The word consultation is used all the time. I would ask the government to please start listening to people, to please start giving rights back to Canadians who have not gone against their own country like these ISIS fighters have.

Let us ask questions. Are we going to have them sign up for a group? Do we know if it is going to be a program like AA but it has to be by choice? Is it going to be an individual's right? If there are ISIS fighters, do they have the same rights as a person who drinks alcohol? These might sound like crazy questions, but that is the direction in which I am afraid we are going. A person will have that right and not an obligation to the country.

I am very fearful on how this will go out. I have seen other things rolled out by the Liberal government, so I am a little skeptical.

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I want to make two points. First, the numbers being used may be inaccurate. Second, and I will have to put on my partisan hat unfortunately, our government came up with the idea of a travel ban. We felt that people who went to those countries and did not need to should be questioned as to why they were going there in the first place.

In our 2015 Conservative platform, we stated that if Canadians were going to regions they had no business going to, then it would be deemed they were probably going to fight with ISIS.

We need to look at that. I am not sure if the Liberal government has put in any of those provisions, but we have to look at it from all angles.

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2017]

Another wrote:

My name is [F]. I am a gay man from Iran who escaped from persecution. I am a member of a gay middle eastern group with my friend [Y] and [O]. Recently I read Canadian government is bringing back ISIS people. I am in a shock and fear to know ISIS people are going to be leaving in our cities. I escaped persecution two times Iran to Turkey, Turkey to Canada we have no other place to go. Please help us to stop ISIS members coming into this country. Instead of wasting our tax money on ISIS people help to empower gay middle eastern people who been persecuted by Islamic regimes.

A further letter states:

Hello, I'm writing to you concerning the governments wish on trying to re-integrate ex. ISIS militants back into Canadian society. I believe this is a grave mistake that could have tragic outcomes. These people decided to leave Canadian society and throw away the values we hold dear to our hearts in order to join an extremist ideology that has killed scores of innocent people including children. They believe in beheading and burning alive those who don't submit to their twisted views and have wrecked havoc all over the world. There is no guarantee that attempts to rehabilitate these terrorists will be successful. Frankly, this is not a risk I am willing to take. In the event that even one of these people decides to commit another act of terror- lives will be lost. Is it worth risking our nations civilians to try and help those who have already decided to slaughter us? Is the risk really worth bringing them back into our neighbourhoods? I would rather leave them to rot in jail than put even one of our citizens lives at risk.

He continued, but we are getting the idea.

Yet another one states:

I am a proud Canadian who immigrated here from the Middle East where I could not enjoy freedom. When I come to Canada I realized how beautiful, peaceful, and secure life is. I enjoy walking with my children with out fear. I enjoy speaking my mind with out fear of being attacked. I enjoy my individual freedom in my beautiful home, Canada.

Recently I heard that the ISIS is coming back to Canada under: the rehabilitation program. My dear those people who step on our constitution, fought against our heroes, killed our allies, raped women and children should not be allowed to walk among us. They should be in prison. They made their choice. We do not want to lose our freedom because of their wrong choice. We do not want to leave in fear because of their ideology. Help us. Sincerely, [MK].

I am going to put the rest of these on the record. I know that with my speech, I could probably put them all through as part of it, but what I really want to say today is that we are talking about politics. We are talking about Conservatives and Liberals. We have to stop talking that way and start talking about the people who are now fearing for their lives. There are people out there every day who are living in terror and fear, especially this specific community. Last week we were embracing them, and this week they feel like they are being thrown to the wolves.

Therefore, I ask this. Instead of making this partisan as I have seen it to be, let us talk about the people who have to walk down the streets and realize that somebody they may have known or may have seen in a photograph, or variety of different things, may be out there ready to target them. Let us not put our heads in the sand. These are people's lives and they have rights as people who live in Canada, fought for Canada, and whose home is Canada. When did their rights become lesser than the rights of terrorists who left Canada, went over there, and are now coming back? They left Canada.

I recognize that this could be a constitutional issue, but let us get our heads and hearts right and recognize that there are people living in fear because of government decisions. I am asking the government to look at the policies it is making and start having conversations with the groups who are now being attacked.

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the time today so we can discuss this.

I have listened to much of this debate. Luckily I am on House duty today, and it has been a very good debate, especially on this side where we are talking about this.

To begin, I hope that the member for Avalon will not mock people as I read the letters I have received from people throughout Canada, from the east coast to the west coast. They are telling us to please stand up for them, and so I am hoping I do not hear any further mockery. We must be non-partisan about this, because the bottom line is that it is in the best interests of Canadians. That is what I want to remind everyone of.

We have heard a lot of back and forth today. I was not part of the previous government, but I worked for a member of Parliament at that time and am very proud of the work we did. However, I do not want this to be a partisan debate. This is about the security and safety of fellow Canadians and the security and safety of refugees who sought Canada to get away from the terror that was happening in their own countries. Unfortunately, I think we are forgetting that point during this debate. I am hoping members will listen to this.

Tuesday last week was a historic day for the Prime Minister because of his apology to the LGBTQ2 community. At that time, we saw all four leaders stand and put forward apologies in support of the Prime Minister's words. Within two hours of that apology, I started receiving emails from Muslim gay men. By the next day, I had a group come forward to me. In less than 24 hours, they came to me fearing for their lives. They recognized that because of my work on LGBTQ2 issues, I was on their side and that their thoughts mattered. This is why I want to read their letters today. I have 10 in hand right now, but I can tell members that by the time I get home, I am sure I will have more, because over just a couple of days they started contacting me, a member whom they might not know but heard of me and knew that I was on their side.

For their own security, I will not read their names, because one of the gentlemen has already been targeted on Facebook, being told that they will be coming after him. I am hoping that all members can listen and not comment, because these are atrocities to our public security.

The first wrote the following:

My name is [YC]. I am a 30-year-old Gay Muslim. I was born in a small town in Eastern Turkey close to the Syrian border named Kahta. My town is officially run by the Turkish government but unofficially run by mullahs and radical Islamists. In my very early age I was aware of my sexual interest.

Growing up I heard about only 3 homosexuals, and their stories were scary enough for the rest of the homosexuals to hide themselves. One of them was buried alive by his Islamist relatives, despite all the pressure his family would not kill him and relatives see Ibrahim (people called him Ibo) dishonor to their tribe. Ibo was one of the first victim of gay honor killing that I have heard of, who I have met in person growing up in same neighborhood. The second gay man that I heard of was from near by village, all we heard is that family cleaned its honor and buried him alive. Third person I knew was [H]. People called him all kind of names male dog, top (Turkish stand for fag), ibne (insult for gay people similar to fag), raping him, harassing him, beating him, etc.

I sit here thinking, oh my gosh, this is what we are welcoming. It is unbelievable. The letter continues:

His family is open-minded compared to Islamists and they did not kill him. Instead they put him in a mental hospital. Some said that they were worried that his relatives were Islamic terrorists and that they would kill him.

On Tuesday when Prime Minister apologized and mentioned all the LGBTQ2 people all around the world, I was so happy. Finally someone was going to uncover the pain of the forgotton LGBTQ2 communities around the world. Finally someone is going to be a voice to gay muslims who are being victim of honor killing. All my memories, all my fear, all my pain of growing up as gay man in a very religious town pass through my eyes. I was free and there might be chance to free other gay muslims.

After I left the gallery, chatting with some people I heard that the Prime Minister is trying to bring ISIS members. I was in shock and did not believe them. I went home and did my research and find out they were right. Our Prime Minister who spoked for LGBTQ2 rights also emporing enemy of LGBTQ2 people and enemy of humanity. Prime Minister is not only bringing those terrorist back here but their ideology. In addition, Prime Minister is sending a wrong message to those who killed, rape, and torture gay people in muslim countries and a heartbroking message to the LGBTQ2 community in muslims countries who suffered from those Islamist.

Maybe being an openly gay Muslim activist and my friends, who are fighting for the liberation of Muslims of the community, are in fear. We are afraid to lose our freedom of speech, freedom to walk in our beautiful cities without fear of being attacked. I hope this will, in turn, be a non-partisan action and stop this tragedy before it is too late. The Prime Minister is constantly talking about constitutional rights. I guess we Canadians have the same constitutional rights and we must be protected, feel safe and secure.

I have a number of others, so hopefully, Madam Speaker, you will say, “Karen, you have a couple more minutes.”