Marco Mendicino

[Elevation to Cardinal, December 17th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to His Eminence Cardinal Francis Leo of the Archdiocese of Toronto, who was recently elevated by Pope Francis to the College of Cardinals in the Vatican.

Born as an Italian Canadian in Montreal, Cardinal Leo's vocational service has been rooted in compassion, love and inclusion. His advocacy for truth and reconciliation, the LGBTQ+ community and the vulnerable has been a force for good within the Catholic Church. Cardinal Leo is also a champion for education, including the integration of indigenous history within educational programs across Catholic institutions. This represents a hopeful direction for the Catholic Church to foster mutual trust and healing.

Cardinal Leo said that, when he heard about his elevation to the College of Cardinals, his phone “lit up like a Christmas tree”. It may have been an early gift from the Pope, but the true present is Cardinal Leo's service to his community. May his tenure inspire hope, love and renewal within the Church and beyond.

Auguri e buon natale.

[Judi Weinstein and Gadi Haggai, October 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Iris Weinstein Haggai, whose parents, Judi Weinstein and Gadi Haggai, were taken hostage and murdered by Hamas following the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel.

Iris's mother, Judi, grew up in Toronto before moving to Israel in the 1970s, where she raised their family in the Nir Oz kibbutz. Judi was a daughter, mother and grandmother who loved her community. She taught children and wrote poetry.

Judi was a Canadian, and her life exemplified Canadian values. For over a year, Iris has fought for justice for her mother and for the rights of families of the victims to see their loved ones returned home. I applaud her courage and call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to do everything in her power to secure the repatriation of Canadians who were victims of the October 7 terrorist attacks.

When I met with Iris, she asked that everyone remember and say her mother's name. I hope all members and, indeed, all Canadians will remember this name: Judi Weinstein. We must bring her and all the hostages home now.

[Criminal Code, September 25th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am seeking the unanimous consent of the House to change my vote, which was incorrectly recorded as nay, to yea on the concurrence of Bill S-205.

[Yom HaShoah, May 6th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, today is Yom HaShoah, the annual day to remember the six million Jews who were slaughtered during the Holocaust. We mark this sombre occasion with the jarring reality that anti-Semitism has never been more pervasive in Canada. B'nai B'rith just published its annual audit, reporting nearly 5,791 anti-Semitic incidents committed in 2023, more than double from the year prior.

Jews are bombarded daily with epithets like “[Jews,] go back to Europe”, “All the Zionists are racist” and “Long live October 7”. Some diminish these incidents; however, look at university campuses and one will see Jewish professors and students intimidated and harassed, to say nothing of the synagogues, day schools, businesses and neighbourhoods targeted every single day. If this were any other minority, there would be outrage, and there should be.

Yesterday I met with Rose Lipszyc and Pinchas Gutter, two Holocaust survivors. Their fighting spirit is indefatigable. We owe it to them, to the remaining survivors and to all of those who perished in the Shoah, to remember what our eyes have seen and to teach our children “never again”.

[Business of Supply, March 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, on the same point of order, I want to echo the sentiments and frustrations that have been expressed by my colleagues across the aisle. I think what you are hearing is a concern that the very elaborate amendments that have just been introduced by the government House leader have not been debated. There has been no notice, and this is very detailed.

In the meantime, we have an underlying motion that has been put forward by the NDP, which has been the subject of debate. I feel obliged to add that, on behalf of my constituents in Eglinton—Lawrence, my plan was to vote against the underlying motion of the NDP for reasons that I would otherwise state.

I would say that this is a point of order that should be explored and carefully studied. I would argue that it potentially offends member's privileges in terms of being able to debate the very motions that we are asked to vote on.

[Jewish Community, February 14th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, in 1913, Jews were prohibited from practising medicine in any hospital in Toronto, but four brave immigrant women from the Jewish community worked tirelessly and raised enough support to open the doors to an institution that is known today as Mount Sinai Hospital, a world leader in the delivery of health care in over 45 languages. Ironically, this sacred ground of healing has been the target of an anti-Semitic protest that has undermined the health and safety of the patients and medical professionals who work there.

The hatred must come to an end. The attacks against synagogues, schools, businesses and neighbourhoods must stop. However, the burden should not fall only to the Jewish community; we must all put our shoulder to the wheel. Strong allies like labour leader Victoria Mancinelli speak with moral clarity and set an example for others. Only if we stand together can we end anti-Semitism and live up to the vision of Mount Sinai that still motivates the inclusive and life-saving work that it does today.

[Jewish Refugees, November 30th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, today we mark the expulsion of nearly one million Jews from Arab countries and Iran following the creation of the State of Israel. Their expulsion was motivated by persecutions, pogroms and genocide.

Many Jewish families found safe harbour in Canada, a significant number of whom put down roots in my riding of Eglinton—Lawrence.

Despite their exceptional contributions, Jews have continued to face a torrent of anti-Semitism. Tragically, the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel has exacerbated this hate: Jewish day schools have been shot at, synagogues firebombed, students swarmed on campuses and businesses accosted.

As Canadians, we should universally condemn these appalling incidents, and those responsible must be brought to justice by law enforcement. We must also strengthen Holocaust remembrance and education. Today, B’nai Brith is hosting a virtual commemoration of the story of Jews who were expelled from Arab countries and Iran. I encourage all to visit its website and learn, because it is only through learning, education and respect that we can ultimately defeat anti-Semitism and hatred in all its forms.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has demonstrated its leadership when it comes to human rights. There are many examples, but the most recent is the $10 million that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has already announced. That money, that federal resource, will, I hope, be used by those who need it most. Yes, there is a lot of work to be done to save lives in Gaza, Israel and the region, and Canada is there and will be there for the long term.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying without any equivocation that, like Hamas, the IRGC is a terrorist organization, which is why this government designated it under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the purposes of ensuring that Canada cannot be a safe haven for any terrorist activity that would be facilitated by the IRGC.

We stand with the Iranian diaspora here and will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect Canadians, both here and abroad, as a result of any action committed by any terrorist, be it the IRGC, Hamas or any other terrorist group.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I would certainly agree that Hamas not only does not speak for the Palestinian people but also represents the greatest hurdle to peace in Gaza and the region. That is why it is imperative that we recognize that it is a precondition of peace that there is no terror. There is one organization, on October 7, that committed an act of terror, and that was Hamas.

What we seek now is justice for those who have fallen and, obviously, building back toward a path to peace. However, there can be no peace in the wake of terror, and we will continue to pursue justice.