Business of Supply  I close by saying that thousands of Canadians across this land suffer in silence, and have been suffering in silence for years, because their families are being intimidated by authoritarian states back home, whether it is in the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran or other authoritarian states. People have been suffering in silence, and the government has not even had the interest to follow what is going on with these threat activities.

Foreign Affairs committee  Could you tell us what investigations or what work is going on to investigate individuals connected to the Islamic Republic of Iran and their human rights abuses?

Foreign Affairs committee  Is there any opportunity to take a look at individuals or citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran who are engaged in these activities in the same way that you undertook your investigation of President Putin?

Foreign Affairs committee  Because of that, I had jurisdiction to investigate international crimes in Ukraine. I have not received such a declaration from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore, I'm focused upon the jurisdiction I do have.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you for your question. The Hazaras have been specifically targeted by the Islamic State. The Taliban did not protect them. Yet, the Taliban had indicated that they could protect Hazara communities, but so far they have not done so. The attacks on Hazara communities have been carried out by the Islamic State.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The most egregious attacks on minorities have been conducted by other terrorist organizations, mostly notably the Islamic State. The Taliban is not doing a terribly good job at containing the Islamic State or other terrorist organizations, and those communities also remain vulnerable. Perhaps I'll stop there.

Eid al-Fitr  Mr. Speaker, Eid al-Fitr is one of the most important days in the Islamic faith. To the Muslims in Nepean, and all across Canada, I wish them, again, Eid Mubarak. After a month of fasting and spiritual reflection, Eid al-Fitr is a joyous occasion for communities and a time of celebration.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  This has meant that it's harder to retrieve the girls, because if the family is Christian, let's say, they don't have access to the judicial courts to get the daughter back, because you have to be Muslim to appeal to the Islamic courts. This is why it's very important to also have contacts with progressive Muslims, or Muslims who are against these laws. It adds a double vulnerability in getting justice. That's one aspect and it's an issue.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  However, in the seven years since this declaration, militant violence has exponentially increased, and new actors, such as the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, and bands of Islamist Fulani militants, have taken on roles in the violence. This was flagged in the last meeting you held in November 2020. This has included executions and inhuman and degrading treatment of civilians, including the cutting of limbs, the burning of homes and places of worship, the kidnapping and enslavement of women and girls, and coerced conversions.

Justice committee  Chair and members of the committee. My name is Usama Khan. I'm the chief executive officer at Islamic Relief Canada, which is a member of the Humanitarian Coalition. Since 1999, Islamic Relief globally has been operational in Afghanistan, and throughout the current last two years as well.

Petitions  Speaker, members will recall the mass abductions in Nigeria a few years ago, largely the result of Boko Haram, the Islamic State and Fulani militants. The petitioners are particularly concerned about several people: Leah Sharibu; Alice Ngaddah; the Chibok girls, who are largely girls between the ages of 12 and 16; and the victims' families.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns  With regard to applications received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, since January 1, 2016, and broken down by type of application: (a) how many applicants were deemed inadmissible pursuant to (i) paragraph 34(1)(b), (ii) paragraph 34(1)(c), (iii) paragraph 34(1)(f), of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c. 27); and (b) broken down by each paragraph of the act in (a), how many of the applicants who were deemed inadmissible were members of the (i) Kurdistan Democratic Party, (ii) Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, (iii) Movement for Change or Gorran, (iv) Kurdistan Islamic Union, (v) Kurdistan Justice Group or Komala, (vi) New Generation Movement?

Eid al-Fitr  Ultimately, it is a celebration of and reward for the spiritual discipline exercised by worshippers during the holy month of Ramadan. During this month, I want to thank the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Masjid AI-Jannah and Spiritual Society Canada for their warm welcome to prayers. I also want to acknowledge the enormous contributions of the Muslim Welfare Centre of Toronto for its ongoing fight to ensure food security in our community and beyond.

Justice committee  We'll be taking a look at those, but I think all of us want to get this done quickly, because we want you to be able to deliver aid. I know that we heard earlier that MSF has still been operating and Islamic Relief is operating, but I also know that there are many organizations that are not, and people are dying because that aid isn't getting there.

Justice committee  Thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you for the work you're doing. I do have to give a special shout-out to Islamic Relief, which has its head office in Burlington, Ontario. We had a lot of conversation—some of you were here for it, I think—during the first panel about the blanket exemption for humanitarian aid.