Committees of the House  We see how the IRGC is inflicting violence on people beyond the borders of Iran and how the Iranian regime, through the IRGC and other organizations, is causing human rights violations and upsetting the peace and security in neighbouring Iraq, in Lebanon, in Yemen and even much further afield. That is why the Conservatives have been unapologetic and clear in calling for freedom, democracy, human rights and genuine respect for the rule of law in Iran.

Committees of the House  We are talking about foreign interference from China, but we could also be talking about Russia, Iraq or any number of other countries. I would especially like to mention a question I asked a few witnesses the other day. I asked them whether the current government was familiar with China, and the answer was a resounding “no”.

Canada-China Relations committee  As well, Canada is being pressured by the United States, which is in direct competition with China. There is a danger here, however. We have seen it in the past, for example in the case of Iraq in 2003. Colin Powell, as the representative of the United States, went to the United Nations, the UN, to say there were weapons of mass destruction. We later realized that there were none.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I represent the Equality Fund, a Canadian-based women's fund that supports women's rights organizations and feminist funds in the global south and east, like the organization from Iraq whose message I just shared. We received a $300-million contribution from Global Affairs Canada in 2019. At present, Equality Fund resources are flowing to over 300 women's rights organizations and LGBTQI groups in about 85 countries.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  In the last few days, I've been hearing many really troubling stories from human rights defenders who are stranded in Turkey and Iraq and want to come to this country. These are actual, tangible ways we can help the revolution in Iran.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  He took the lead and Nelson Mandela visited Canada first to recognize what he had done. That's exactly what's happening right now, it's an apartheid in both Afghanistan and Iraq, but also in Saudi Arabia. Just recently we've seen that relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran seem to be warming up. Won't that possibly put a damper on Canada's leadership? The fact that relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are warming up adds a much more complex dimension to what we're experiencing right now.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  With oppressive systems or ideologies like the ones we're talking about, obviously we're seeing various aspects of discrimination, and I guess it happens in Afghanistan as well in ethnic minorities. We're seeing it in ethnic minorities in Myanmar, Iraq and other countries.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We should open our doors to large numbers of Iranian activists, many of them women’s rights activists, who are currently languishing in Iran or in nearby countries like Turkey and Iraq. We should, in turn, close our doors to officials and affiliates of the regime who wish to bring their funds and families here. In 1998, Nelson Mandela spoke to our House of Commons and expressed his gratitude to this country, saying, “thank you...for helping us end our oppression”.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  All the intelligence was pointing towards weapons of mass destruction. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, after all of the intelligence that was being fed in by Five Eyes partners. I think many of us have a lot of respect for the amount of resources and tools that the U.S. has at its disposal and especially that its federal agencies have.

Gulf War Anniversary  I joined with the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada to lay a wreath on the National War Memorial last week to recognize their service. The war began in 1990 when Iraq invaded neighbouring Kuwait. I was a university student at the time, and it was the first time that we saw war in real time on our TV screens. Regardless of how Canadians felt about the war at the time, once we sent our military personnel there, we all supported the women and men who left their families for the unknown, not knowing when or if they would ever return.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Once again, this is a very important question. My intent in using the example of what happened in Iraq was to suggest that even when there is a consensus view within an intel community, that view can sometimes be wrong, so I think it is entirely appropriate within our system, and within all pluralistic systems, to welcome a range of views on any one subject, particularly something as threatening as foreign interference.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  There are glaring historical examples, Madam Chair, even when that picture finally emerges, of the intel's being just plainly wrong. The war in Iraq comes to mind. In this context, I would make one final point. Intel that gets leaked and is then taken out of context—for example, a report from a single uncorroborated source.... If that report instantly becomes taken as fact, this can actually be prejudicial to Canada's national security.

Arab Heritage Month Act  In my riding of London—Fanshawe, I have a large Arab Canadian population that I am extremely proud to call my friends, neighbours and community partners. I have people from all over the Arab world: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Sudan and many more. Each Arab Canadian community has its own traditions, regalia, food, music, dance and ceremonies, which is something I cherish.

National Defence committee  I was told at one point that the United States government was looking at physical facilities in Russia that might possibly be victims of an attack. We do know the U.S. government put a virus in printers that went into Iraq and so on. It's going on out there. I don't think we have a clear policy on it. I think we need to know. I've realized for security reasons that they may not want to be forthcoming about when they actually do it.

Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims  I have always been a voice for human rights around the world, for the Afghans fleeing the Taliban, for the Rohingya fleeing Myanmar, for Coptic Christians in northern Iraq and for the Palestinian people denied their basic rights, and I will always raise my voice for those in need. With my vote on this motion, we send a message: We will not look away.