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 Min

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 me

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

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 C

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

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 po

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 sacrific

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 repre

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 co

Situation in Myanmar  Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Don Valley East for all the concerns she has raised about the Rohingyas. Last Sunday we were together in Scarborough to meet with community leaders and talk about this important issue. Yes, I held many round tables to hear the concerns o

Situation in Myanmar  Madam Speaker, Canada has done a lot this year. To date in 2017, we have announced $9.18 million in humanitarian assistance, including $2.55 million on September 15 to help address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, northern Rakhine State, and its impact on Bangladesh. Canada ha

Situation in Myanmar  Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Compton—Stanstead. I rise today to take part in this important debate on the violence and persecution being faced by the Rohingya community in Myanmar and to add my voice to the call for strong action by the internat

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in my riding of Scarborough Centre, which recently celebrated its 199th anniversary. This is a big year, as Canada celebrates its 150th birthday. It is quite something to think that this church predates Confe

Philippine Independence Day  Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize the Philippines' Independence Day, which commemorates the 1898 declaration of independence by the Philippines after 300 years of Spanish rule. It is a day to celebrate and recognize the contributions that Filipinos are making ar

Cannabis Act  Madam Speaker, the status quo is not working. Through Bill C-45, our government would restrict access by youth and put in place strict safeguards to protect youth from being encouraged to use cannabis. It would create new offences for adults who either sell to or urge youth to co