Filipino Heritage Month  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his support for the Filipino community. I am very proud to represent over 14,000 Filipinos in my community. Filipino communities are making a difference in all walks of life. They have a rich and vibrant history and culture and are making an outstanding contribution to Canada.

Filipino Heritage Month  Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member. Filipinos play an important role in all walks of life. Because of some health challenges, I was at Sunnybrook hospital for over a month, and 90% of the nurses there who took care of me were from the Philippines. The love and support they give to people when they need it is amazing.

Filipino Heritage Month  Mr. Speaker, support for this motion would be consistent with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which officially recognizes multiculturalism as a Canadian value, and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, which is built on a policy of multiculturalism designed to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians.

Filipino Heritage Month  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for her advocacy for our caregivers. I duly recognize the work our caregivers are doing here for our kids, parents and seniors. I have always been a strong advocate for them and will continue to be a strong advocate to make sure that we can reunite their families in Canada as soon as possible.

Filipino Heritage Month  moved: That, in the opinion of the House, the government should recognize the contributions that Filipino-Canadians have made to Canadian society, the richness of the Filipino language and culture, and the importance of reflecting upon Filipino heritage for future generations by declaring June, every year, Filipino Heritage Month.

Firearms Act  Mr. Speaker, the first thing I want to let the hon. member know is that this is not a gun registry. Our Prime Minister has been very clear. This was standard practice before gun registry. Responsible retailers are already doing this anyway, and the police can access the information only with court orders for an ongoing police investigation.

Firearms Act  Mr. Speaker, as I said in my speech, we definitely need to do more, and we need to look at why so many young people turn to violence. I am proud that our Prime Minister agrees that we need to do more. That is why he has appointed my colleague from Scarborough Southwest as the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, and told him to put everything on the table when it comes to action to address this violence.

Firearms Act  Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Scarborough—Guildwood. I rise today to speak on C-71, an act to amend certain acts and regulations in relation to firearms. It is appropriate that this is the topic of my first speech following my return from medical leave.

Ramadan  Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish Ramadan Mubarak to Muslims in Canada and around the world celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. It is a time when we reflect on empathy, discipline, compassion, and charity. We fast during the daytime and gather with friends and family at night to share a meal and a prayer.

Health  Mr. Speaker, February 4 is World Cancer Day. A lot of Canadians from across the country live with or know someone who is battling cancer. Let us reflect on what we can all do together. In fact, cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in Canada, with almost half of all Canadians developing it in their lifetime.

Ian Jones  Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a constituent of mine, Ian Jones, who passed away on October 16th after a brief illness. I knew Ian as an artist and a photographer. This year, residents have been enjoying Ian's scenes of Scarborough as part of my 2017 calendar. This was a retirement hobby for Ian, who helped mould young minds for 25 years as an elementary school teacher for the Toronto District School Board.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, from coast to coast to coast, housing advocates are raving about Canada's first-ever national housing strategy. Many are calling the national housing strategy a game-changer. Others are saying that the national housing strategy is a model of how modern progressive policy-making should be done.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, Canada's story is the story of immigration. Those who choose Canada bring with them their unique culture, skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit that strengthens our economy. My family immigrated to Canada 18 years ago to build a better life for our son. We sacrificed, we worked hard, and now I sit in the House as the member for Scarborough Centre.

Islamic Heritage Month  Mr. Speaker, I rise as a proud Muslim Canadian to recognize October as Islamic Heritage Month. Over one million Muslims are proud to call Canada home. Islam is Canada's second largest religion after Christianity. We are doctors and lawyers, shopkeepers and teachers, elected representatives, neighbours, and friends.

Scarborough Centre Multifaith Council  Mr. Speaker, in my two years as the member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre, I have been privileged to visit many different places of worship. No matter where we come from or how we worship, I have continually been impressed by the values and priorities that we all hold in common: our love for our families, our community, our great country, and our desire to give a better life to our children.