Yasmin Ratansi

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 26th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as a chartered professional accountant, I do a lot of tax returns. Our government's investment in the middle class by cutting taxes for nine out of ten people is a very good step.

The member talked about the gap between the rich and the poor. That gap has been growing over the past 10 years. We have chosen to remedy that situation, and we have done it through wise tax cuts, investment in the Canada child benefit program, investment in infrastructure. Together this cohesive strategy will help the economy grow.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 26th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to speak to the Speech from the Throne.

As the member for the great riding of Don Valley East, there are significant steps noted in the Speech from the Throne that will have good, long-term benefits for my constituents and for all Canadians.

Let me begin with the recognition in the throne speech that diversity is our strength. In Don Valley East, close to 60% of the population are first-generation Canadians. People have come to Canada from different parts of the world with one common purpose: to provide a better future for themselves and their families.

Many people in my riding, having established themselves, are giving back to newcomers. A wonderful example of this is an agency called The Clothing Drive. It provides clothing, boots, shoes, school bags, and so forth to hundreds of newly arrived Syrian refugees. I was proud to have participated in the official opening of its office in my riding.

This organization started as a Facebook post stating, “I need help.” Within four weeks it grew to hundreds and thousands of volunteers from all different backgrounds and cultures whose one main purpose was to help. This is the Canadian spirit. When we work together, we are a phenomenal force for change and for the betterment of society.

The past 10 years have been years of divisiveness. People are tired of that type of nastiness and they want to take back their Canada. This generosity and caring became evident in the riding after our Prime Minister set the example and tone for all Canadians. Thanks to his leadership, we are utilizing this caring nature.

Two weeks ago I welcomed 300 refugees into my riding and was overwhelmed by the generosity of the faith groups, the civil societies, and the individuals who came forward to offer their assistance. As an example, a church group in my riding raised $3.6 million, which is fantastic. It wants to sponsor 17 Syrian refugee families. That is wonderful. It would like to relieve the government of those 17 families. There are synagogues and mosques that have already sponsored four and five families each.

A touching example was when I held a town hall meeting on Syrian refugees. One member from a church group had just picked up his family from the airport and was looking for suitable accommodations. Lo and behold, a generous Canadian offered his basement there and then. He remodelled his house for the family's needs. I am happy to say that an Iraqi Christian family is well settled in a Muslim house. That is the type of pluralism we should work toward. I am glad to say that with this government, Canada is back.

Our government committed to growing the middle class. The first order of business for our government was to reduce the tax rate for those earning between $45,000 and $90,000. This tax break is beneficial to 90% of the population.

In my riding, almost half of the residents earn less than $50,000. They are hard-working people who contribute to the Canadian economy. Our government's tax break is important as it will put money back into the pockets of 90% of Canadians. With this extra disposable income, they will help grow the economy.

I am sure there are many hon. members in the House who are dealing with high rates of unemployment in their riding. In Don Valley East, the unemployment rate is 11%, much higher than the national average. Why? Because over the past 10 years we have not invested in the right form of economy. The unemployment rate is even higher for our youth. Investing in the middle class means that people who need help will receive it. This includes people who are struggling to make ends meet and who want to improve their standard of living.

The government understands that investing in people and our future generation is important. How we invest is as critical as in whom we invest. Our Canada child benefit is a strong pillar in helping to grow the economy and the middle class. Raising a child is expensive. There are parents who work at two to three jobs just to make ends meet. These are survival economies. Therefore, our targeted Canada child care benefit would help those people who need it the most.

The third pillar in growing the economy is to invest in infrastructure, both social and physical, like roads, transit signals, etc. In a place like Toronto or Vancouver, the prices of housing is unattainable for those earning between $45,000 and $50,000. Therefore, investing in social infrastructure is important.

I had the opportunity, together with my other colleagues, to meet with the mayor of Toronto, the Hon. John Tory. The mayor and his team of councillors understand the importance of this investment and are ready to partner with the government. They are excited that the federal government is back in business, that the government is communicating with them and treating them with respect by allowing them to choose projects that would have the maximum return on investment, both from a social justice perspective and job creation perspective.

The mayor was particularly pleased with investments in transit as well. Canada's productivity, as we know, has fallen over the past 10 years. Intelligent investments in transit in a large city like Toronto is important. It helps move people faster, helps in reducing commute times, and helps in reducing stress times, thereby increasing the overall productivity. In my riding, a large number of people rely on public transit to take them to work or school, or to help them volunteer. Therefore, our investment in public transit makes it possible for them to be more efficient, effective, and productive.

To grow the economy we need a cohesive strategy, and that is exactly what our government has done by cutting taxes for middle income people; investing in our future through our Canada child care benefit; investing in infrastructure, including social housing, transit, etc.; and investing in post-secondary education. This is a sure way to boost the economy.

However, the sustainability of the economy relies on a clean environment. For the past 10 years the previous government had denied the effects of climate change and was not willing to diversify its resources. Had it done so we would not be in the situation we are in today. We would have had a cleaner, more prosperous economic environment. Through the previous government's inability or negligence, we lost 74% of the clean energy market. Our government therefore is taking the bold step of engaging with the provinces and territories in ensuring we have the best scientists, engineers, good researchers, and that we regain the market share as we move forward. We have committed to investing in green technology and the jobs of the future.

In Don Valley East, we have a very well-educated population. In my riding, 40% of the residents have either a university or college education, which is above the national average. These well-educated people would benefit from our investment in the jobs that are created through our partnership with the environment.

Our government is committed to making real change. We were elected on our commitment for a better, prosperous Canada, an all-inclusive Canada, a Canada that respects its diversity, a Canada that is strong because of its diversity. The Speech from the Throne delivers that message very clearly.

[Business of Supply, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the current Prime Minister has stated that we will do the training mission, because bombing has not helped anyone. When the Americans went to bomb Iraq, what did they create? A hotbed for tensions between the Sunnis and Shias.

I think that members need to understand the history of Islam. I invite them to the Aga Khan Museum where they will know it better.

[Business of Supply, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I think that is an important question. I have visited places in Africa, on the west coast and northern parts of Africa. The arms are coming from all over the map. Transparency International is very concerned about this.

The member's question was: Why is this not in the Speech from the Throne?

The Speech from the Throne had its own agenda of tax cuts for the middle class and ensuring that we have a very robust economy. However, I am sure the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Public Safety will take that under advisement.

[Business of Supply, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, that is a rather uneducated question. Sorry about that.

Our Prime Minister has never said such a thing. The real name of this organization is Daesh. Because the Conservative motion said ISIS, I had to use the terminology. They are given credibility when they are called the Islamic State. We do not want to give them credence. They have no credibility. They are attacking Muslims first before anybody else. The Muslim countries surrounding them do not want to call them the Islamic State.

[Business of Supply, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Kanata—Carleton.

I rise to speak against the Conservative motion which states:

That, given that ISIS has taken responsibility for recent deadly attacks in Paris, Beirut, and Africa, and has declared war on Canada, this House: (a) acknowledge that now is not the time for Canada to step back and force our allies to take on a heavier burden...

We oppose the motion because it has a false premise.

First and foremost, let me reiterate that the Liberal government is acutely aware that ISIS, or Daesh, which is its name, poses a real and serious threat to security. Our government believes that Canada has a role to play in the international effort against ISIL. The Liberal government is not stepping back from its burden in the fight against terrorist groups. Instead, the Liberal government understands its obligations to protect the freedom and security of Canadians. That is why it is taking a very smart approach.

Recent history has shown that bombing alone will not defeat terrorist groups like Daesh, or ISIL, as we call it. We know that to be successful we require highly trained, well-equipped local forces. That is an intelligent thing to do. Why? Because the local forces have not only the linguistic and cultural ability to understand the fight against the terrorist group, they have been the victims of the horrors by this renegade group of terrorists.

People in the countries in which ISIL operates are subjected to the horrors, because ISIL is not a religious group. As a Muslim, I can proudly say it is a renegade group of terrorists. They have nothing to do with Islam, but by us giving them the target of Islamic State, we are giving them credence that they do not deserve.

Let us look at what the Conservatives have done. On October 7, 2014, the previous Conservative government passed a motion in the House to join a coalition air campaign to combat ISIL for six months. In April 2015, the House passed a motion renewing the motion for a year and extending air strikes into Syria.

Liberals did not support the previous Conservative government's efforts, because we do not strike people indiscriminately. By doing that, we basically have created a sort of pseudo-attraction for those who are not aware of what ISIL really is. Having watched in horror what bombing has done to the cities in Syria, in Iraq, and surrounding areas and having visited the Middle East on many occasions, I can only imagine the pain and fear that these populations are facing. Daesh is attacking more Muslims than any other communities.

Basically it is a Sunni militant group whose goal is to build a state that people do not understand. A caliphate is only a name allocated to the first four Rashidun caliphs. Those who do not know Islamic history choose to address this issue in ignorance. I think it is high time that we, as Canadians, understand that this is not a clash of civilization; it is basically ignorance that we are not able to make the right decision.

I think the Liberal government has taken the smart approach. It is stopping the air strikes and ensuring that we help to build capacity on the ground. This is an intelligent thing to do, because the forces on the ground are well in tune with the nuances. They are aware of what is going on, on the ground. They are also aware and they have the best network for figuring out where the information is coming from. We do not know it.

It is better for us, as an intelligent move, to help these people. Our men and women in uniform have years of combat and training experience in places like Afghanistan. Our Minister of National Defence is very well aware of what gone on there. We will have a major impact on ensuring that the local Iraqi and Kurdish forces are well prepared to defeat ISIL once and for all.

Our government has never been opposed to deploying our armed forces into combat when it clearly serves Canada's national interest. We feel that Canada's commitment to a non-combat mission focused on training and humanitarian aid is a better approach.

Young people from different parts of the world are getting enticed by ISIL. Why? It projects the image that there is something in west that is attacking their so-called countries and religion. That is far from the truth. By our continuing to attack them unilaterally, not unilaterally but without any thought to collateral damage, we are really playing into ISIL's agenda. Their agenda is to tell these young people that there is a clash of civilization, which is far from the truth. That clash is not there.

We, as Canadians and as western countries, need to understand it. By striking indiscriminately, we have created a greater problem for security. We have given ISIL the weapon it wants, the rhetoric that it is somehow fighting a holy war, which is far from the truth.

I think our government's position in showing the way forward. Its interest in training and equipping Iraqi forces to fight and destroy ISIL is a better approach.

I have heard from other members that we have to stop the outside forces that are supplying arms and the illegal trade in the black market of oil. I think that is another way that we can address it. I have worked with Transparency International and with the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. This is one of the most important weapons that we can use, stopping the flow of funds so that ISIL is cut off at its knees.

[Aga Khan, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank the constituents of Don Valley East for re-electing me to Parliament.

My riding is proud to house three architectural jewels of Toronto: the Aga Khan Museum, the lsmaili Centre, and the Aga Khan Park built in Canada by His Highness the Aga Khan with his own funds.

On December 13, His Highness will be celebrating his 79th birthday. I rise today in the House to pay a special tribute to a remarkable human being. His tireless efforts in building bridges across the globe, his commitment to eradicating poverty and ignorance for millions of people, irrespective of race or religion, through the AKDN network are unparalleled.

I was fortunate to have worked with His Highness in establishing the Global Centre for Pluralism here in Ottawa.

Happy birthday to the Hazar Imam. May all who come in touch with him benefit from his integrity, humility, honesty, and courage to do good.

[Election of Speaker, December 3rd, 2015]

Dear colleagues, my name is Yasmin Ratansi, and I would like to have the honour of serving as the Speaker of the House of Commons. Let me tell you why.

Before I do that, I would like to pay tribute to the member for Ottawa—Vanier, who has been my friend and mentor. I am sorry that his health has not allowed him to stay in the race, because I believe he would have made an excellent Speaker.

I would like to thank all the colleagues for putting their names forward for the position of Speaker. This position is very closely linked to the history of the House of Commons, which dates back 600 years.

The duty of the Speaker is to make sound decisions based on the rules of Parliament and Standing Orders without preference for political affiliation or popularity. I would balance the rights of the majority and the minority. I would be assertive and fair and ensure a more collegial environment, but at the same time, I would not take myself too seriously. As the shortest of the candidates seeking to fill this role, I understand some of the challenges that lie ahead.

From my experience as a member of Parliament, I believe that it is absolutely critical for the Speaker to have a comprehensive knowledge of government spending and operations. This skill is the foundation of the efficient and effective governance of our chamber.

I bring my professional background and training as a chartered professional accountant. I also bring my previous experience as the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates and vice-chair of the procedure and house affairs committee. These committees are the building blocks of a well-run Parliament.

I have been a member of various parliamentary standing committees, where I gained a lot of invaluable experience and a great deal of knowledge about government accounts and how to make the government accountable for its spending. I have a good understanding of how the Board of Internal Economy works.

The role of the Speaker is also about maintaining and defending the rights and privileges of members, including the rights to freedom of speech. I pledge to follow the Westminster model and return Parliament to a place of mutual respect and understanding.

We must be an example to our constituents from coast to coast to coast that we value the diversity and pluralism that is the hallmark of Canada. The business of Canada is too important for us to slide into negative attacks, irrelevant answers, and hyper-partisanship.

I will ensure that the procedures of the House of Commons are open and transparent, since this is very important to the Canadians who elected us in October.

Many of you who have known me for some time know that I do not back away from debate or responsibility. In fact, throughout my professional life, I have walked on many roads less taken.

I want to assure those members who do not know me that I will follow the rules and make fair decisions. I will maintain order and decorum.

I cannot fail to mention that, if elected, I would be only the second woman to serve as Speaker. In 1980, Jeanne Sauvé became Canada's first woman Speaker when Canada's prime minister was Pierre Elliott Trudeau. That was three decades ago. In 2015, if elected, I would be the second woman Speaker, this time serving under the current Prime Minister, the hon. member for Papineau.

Hon. members, this is the only time that we vote in secret. The reason is to ensure that there is no outside influence. If I earn your support today as Speaker, you will have a person who understands the business of government and the principles of governance of this chamber. You will have someone who knows the rules of procedure and who will make fair and impartial decisions.

Most important, members will have a Speaker who values and respects diversity. After all, I speak seven languages and understand linguistic and cultural nuances.

I know that all of us want a better future for Canada.

We will build it together.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 21st, 2011]

With regard to Building Canada Fund projects in Quebec: (a) in which federal riding is each project located; (b) what is the description of each project; (c) what is the expected cost of each project; and (d) what is the expected completion date of each project?

[Citizen's Arrest and Self-defence Act, March 21st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, instead of investing in the police, who are underfunded and under-resourced, the government is creating mega prisons for unreported crimes. The government needs to invest in resources. The police need money, so let us invest in the right resources. Let us be smart on crime, not stupid on crime.