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Results: 1 - 15 of 35
View Anne Minh-Thu Quach Profile
NDP (QC)
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today to speak to Bill S-219, a very important bill, which was tabled in the Senate and which seeks to create a national day of commemoration of the exodus of Vietnamese refugees and their acceptance in Canada.
We sometimes forget what it really means to be here in a democratic society where citizens can elect their members of Parliament, and both citizens and elected officials can safely exercise their right to freedom of expression. Most of the world’s population cannot exercise that fundamental right.
If I am able to rise today as a member of Parliament and speak in the House of Commons, it is because my parents had to flee Vietnam and were able to find refuge here in Canada, start a family, live in peace, work and support themselves.
I myself, Anne Minh-Thu Quach, was born in Canada and grew up in Canada, and it is because of my parents’ courage and Canada’s acceptance that today I can take part in Canada’s democratic life.
I would like to take a few moments to recount how my parents fled Vietnam and arrived in Canada. In 1979, after the Vietnam War, my parents decided to flee their country because of the horrible living conditions imposed by the new political regime an in the hopes of finding a better quality of life elsewhere. They could no longer endure the restrictions, the violence and the injustices that happened after the war.
They jumped at the first opportunity to flee in the middle of the night, in secret, with my two brothers, who were one and three at the time. They made their way to a port and paid the smugglers with the last of their belongings, that is, whatever they could carry. They got on a boat, with the direction indicated by a compass, in other words, anywhere, wherever the captain would take them, not knowing whether or not he would bring them to a safe harbour.
They lived in a refugee camp in Indonesia for 18 months, before the Red Cross came to get them. They then arrived in Canada. They had no identification; they had no goods or belongings. They had only their own lives and my brothers’ lives. Canada gave them papers and welcomed them as refugees with great generosity.
An hon. member: Hear, hear!
Ms. Anne Minh-Thu Quach: Yes indeed.
When they arrived in Canada, my parents had to learn everything: how to survive winter, speak French, drive a car, look for work, cook Canadian food. In short, they had to learn how to live in their new country.
It is thanks to people like Captain Pierre Pellerin, Ginette Malenfant, Nicole Leduc and Estelle, who has now passed away, who welcomed my parents, but also other people, including Fred and Bonnie Cappuccino and many Canadians who opened their doors to my family and welcomed thousands of Vietnamese as if they were part of their own family. From that point on, many Vietnamese were able to begin integrating into Canadian life and making a contribution to Canada. Many thanks on behalf of all Vietnamese.
However, like more than 1.5 million people, my parents were boat people. Canada accepted 137,000 Vietnamese refugees at the time. The federal government also established a private sponsorship program that allowed agencies and Canadian citizens to welcome a family of refugees and provide them with support for one year. For each privately sponsored person, the government would sponsor another refugee. An entire movement of solidarity was created.
Here in Ottawa, at the corner of Preston and Somerset, there is a monument paying tribute to the boat people. Marion Dewar, the mayor of Ottawa at the time and the mother of our colleague from Ottawa Centre, worked hard to welcome thousands of Vietnamese refugees, so many in fact that Chinatown here in Ottawa is a primarily Vietnamese neighbourhood, where they serve the famous pho soup that is so warm and comforting, especially on a cold day like today.
The Vietnam War was the result of 50 years of cold war that divided the world in two. For ideological reasons, countries were at war, families were divided, men and women were murdered. Today, we no longer live in that bipolar world where everyone tried to impose their own truth. It is high time we began a real dialogue.
Earlier, I spoke about openness and dialogue, because this is something we really need. The Vietnamese diaspora, here in Canada and throughout the world, is divided by economic, political and religious differences.
A round table must be set up where everyone has the right to express their own views. This is how we will move ahead and ensure that the world will change.
I think that Bill S-219 provides a perfect opportunity to establish this dialogue, in light of the fact that it adds a positive aspect to the usual commemorations by emphasizing Canada’s acceptance of the refugees.
Out of respect for our refugees and in recognition of the Canadians who opened their arms to Vietnamese refugees starting in 1975, I think it would be worthwhile to at least allow a parliamentary committee to properly study the bill. It is up to us—the children of refugees, those in exile and immigrants—as well as all other Canadians who are open and interested in this dialogue, to help initiate discussion and debate about the Vietnamese commemorations.
I had the good fortune to go to Vietnam to see my family and get to know the land of my ancestors. It is a wonderful country where people are welcoming and very special. I still have many family members living there, and I want them and all Vietnamese still living in Vietnam to have the same opportunities as I did, so that they can live in peace and security and enjoy democracy and universal fundamental rights as I do.
Unfortunately, that is not yet the reality for everyone in Vietnam. Vietnam has signed or acceded to seven international conventions on human rights. It is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Human rights are entrenched in the country’s constitution. However, lawyers, journalists, bloggers and ordinary citizens continue to be arrested, tried and imprisoned merely for expressing their opinions.
Today, we must not be afraid to tell the truth. Every human being is entitled to life, liberty and equal opportunity. I therefore reach out to all Vietnamese, and all Canadians, who wish to undertake this dialogue with me and with parliamentarians.
Bill S-219 provides us with that opportunity for exchange, because the wounds have not all been dressed as yet. We must take the opportunity to sit down around the table, as I said, Vietnamese from all walks of life, so that the process of dialogue and healing can begin and we can at last look to the future.
As the member opposite said, the ambassador of Vietnam was not able to be heard. I have received many emails from other Vietnamese living in Canada who want to participate in this debate and were not able to participate in the debate held in the Senate.
This bill has to take its course in the Parliament of Canada, and I want it to be considered in committee and for all points of view to be taken into consideration when it is examined. Unfortunately, as has been said, the committee did not hear all the witnesses, but I believe that the House to which we have been elected, the House of Commons, can do better and can hear from everyone at the second stage. It not only can, I believe it must.
To demonstrate our values of open-mindedness, democracy, empathy and generosity as has already been done, we should allow the debate to continue. Let there be no doubt on this point: I am asking questions because I believe the process can be improved. I am in fact in agreement, and it is very important that this debate be allowed to continue.
On a somewhat more positive note, as the Asian new year, the lunar new year, will fall on February 18, I wish everyone a happy Têt. That is the Vietnamese word for the new year. To all Vietnamese everywhere in Canada and elsewhere,
[Member spoke in Vietnamese as follows:]
Chuc mung nam moi!
View Mark Adler Profile
CPC (ON)
View Mark Adler Profile
2014-12-11 14:07 [p.10488]
Mr. Speaker, when sundown arrives on December 16, in my home and homes across Canada, family and friends will gather together to light candles in celebration of the first night of Hanukkah.
This eight-day celebration commemorates the triumph of the Maccabees against the oppressive empire of Antiochus more than 2,000 years ago. Jerusalem was liberated and the Temple was rededicated, and only enough oil to last for one night instead lasted eight.
Born of the triumph of light over darkness, of freedom over oppression, and of tolerance over persecution, this celebration reminds us that miracles can occur, even in the darkest of moments, and that justice must always overcome tyranny. Hanukkah also reminds us that here in Canada, we are truly blessed to live in a country of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Hanukkah is a joyous time of family gatherings, gift giving, latkes, and games for the children, most notably, hotly contested dreidel contests. At this time, I wish all Canadians celebrating Hanukkah
[Member spoke in foreign language as follows:]
Chag Chanukah Sameach,
Ah Freilichen Chanukah.
[English]
View Linda Duncan Profile
NDP (AB)
View Linda Duncan Profile
2014-11-21 11:04 [p.9650]
Mr. Speaker, Ukraine has marked today, the first anniversary of the commencement of the historic gatherings of Ukrainians in the Euromaidan, as Freedom and Dignity Day. It began with protesting university students and evolved into an outpouring of Ukrainians of all ages and from all walks of life, following savage beatings and later shooting of peaceful protestors.
Tens of thousands flooded the public square calling for an end to corruption and abuse of power. Many attributed this monumental event as a protest of the government's refusal to sign an association agreement with the EU, yet the major impetus for taking to the streets was far more profound. It was a revolution of dignity.
Frustrated by decades of corruption and injustice, people took a public stand for a better future. The more violent the response, the larger the demonstrations grew. These were followed by elections of a new president and a new parliament, and the end of the Soviet presence.
Many now proudly flourish Ukrainian symbols in a more public way. Many young Ukrainians have been inspired to play a more active role in governance.
At this critical juncture, it is important Canadians support their efforts to forge a strong democracy.
Slava Ukraini.
View Peter Goldring Profile
CPC (AB)
View Peter Goldring Profile
2014-11-17 14:05 [p.9382]
Mr. Speaker, since 1969, the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company, founded by Chester and Luba Kuc, has enthralled thousands in Canada and around the world.
Featuring traditional dance and song from a kaleidoscope of colourful folkloric-costumed youth, the creatively choreographed productions of Cheremosh have toured to great international delight and acclaim.
A fantastic 16-foot portrait of historical Ukrainian regional dance costumes was displayed in a place of great honour in the Alberta legislature in 2010.
Cheremosh this year also celebrates 30 years of hosting the annual Cheremosh Festival, in which my daughters participated in their youth. Today, my granddaughters are beginning their own tour of cultural dance fantasia as part of the Cheremosh School of Dance.
I congratulate Cheremosh. May its delightful extravaganza of colourful folkloric dance continue to challenge our youth to great pride of accomplishment in artistic presentations of today, tomorrow, and always.
Mnohaya lita.
View Peggy Nash Profile
NDP (ON)
View Peggy Nash Profile
2014-10-03 11:06 [p.8215]
Mr. Speaker, tonight members of the Jewish faith in Canada and around the world will gather to observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
I would like to recognize the Jewish people of my riding of Parkdale—High Park and all Jewish Canadians celebrating Yom Kippur beginning at sundown today.
Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, focuses on atonement and repentance. It is also a time for families to come together, to reconnect and reflect on the past year and the year to come. It is a time for prayer, for reflection and for family.
As Jewish families observe this solemn holiday, let us all commit to working together to build a better future.
Tzom Kal.
View Randy Hoback Profile
CPC (SK)
View Randy Hoback Profile
2014-10-03 11:10 [p.8216]
Mr. Speaker, this evening at sunset, the Jewish community across Canada and around the world will gather together to observe Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
Those observing seek to atone for their wrongdoings of the past year through fasting, prayer and repentance, they seek forgiveness for the sins they have committed toward their fellow man and against God.
On this sacred day, the Jewish community comes together to reflect on the year that has passed and to look ahead with hope and optimism at the year to come, seeking this as an opportunity to start with a clean slate.
On behalf of the Prime Minister and the Canadian government, I would like to extend my sincere wishes to all those in Canada and around the world observing this most holy day to have an easy and meaningful fast, and may they be inscribed in the book of life.
G'mar Chatimah Tova.
View Emmanuel Dubourg Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Emmanuel Dubourg Profile
2014-09-24 14:06 [p.7768]
Mr. Speaker,
[Member spoke in Creole as follows:]
sak pasé? Jodia mwen salué toute collègue mwen yo nan Parlement canadien, nan langue zancètre mwen, le créole.
I have the great privilege of highlighting the 13th edition of the Mois du créole, which has been organized by KEPKAA, an organization that has been working to promote Creole in Quebec through education, culture, and the arts since 2002.
In Canada, more than 200,000 people, including yours truly, come from countries where Creole is spoken. Those countries include Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, the Seychelles, and islands of the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. We are proud to contribute to Canada's cultural richness.
I would like to congratulate the organizing committee and the president of KEPKAA, Arcelle Appolon, for the work they do to promote Creole.
To conclude, I would like to salute all those who speak Creole, the language taught to me by my parents, that I have taught it to my children, and that I am proud to speak here.
[Member spoke in Creole]
View Mark Adler Profile
CPC (ON)
View Mark Adler Profile
2014-09-23 14:11 [p.7717]
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow evening at sundown, Jews here in Canada and around the world will mark the start of the high holidays, beginning with Rosh Hashanah and concluding 10 days later with the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. This Rosh Hashanah will mark the beginning of the year 5775. It is a time to reflect through prayer and self-examination, and to perform teshuvah, or repentance, which is when we take the time to apologize to those we have wronged and commit to bettering ourselves.
During the 10 days, the Jewish community will come together to pray and fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the blowing of the shofar, the ram's horn, as a reminder to repent, to look within ourselves, to recommit ourselves to prayer, remember the blessings that come from helping those in need, and most importantly, to believe in the power of humility and compassion to deepen our faith and to repair our world. During this time of repentance and renewal, let us recommit ourselves to a more hopeful future, a future filled with sweetness, health and prosperity for all.
L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu. May we all be inscribed in the Book of Eternal Life for a good year.
View Alexandrine Latendresse Profile
NDP (QC)
Mr. Speaker, the situation in the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk is a challenge for the western world. Even so, the friendship between Canada and Ukraine remains steadfast. Canada fully supports the Ukrainian people's desire for peace and democracy.
On behalf of all my colleagues, I would like to extend a warm welcome to President Poroshenko, who is visiting our great country for the first time.
[Member spoke in Ukrainian.]
View Royal Galipeau Profile
CPC (ON)
View Royal Galipeau Profile
2014-06-20 11:06 [p.7224]
Mr. Speaker, the eighth edition of Festival Haïti en Fête will take place July 18 to 20 at Petrie Island, a hidden gem of our beautiful Orléans.
[Member spoke in Creole as follows:]
Féstival Haïti en Fête, c'est ou célébration impôtante dé divèsité kiltirelle nan pays nou an.
[Translation]
Haïti en fête is proudly presented by the Kombite Outaouais, a non-profit organization founded in 2007 by Pierre-Richard Fidelia, Edy Joachim, and Michel Paisible. It is a pleasure to thank this organization and everyone involved in presenting this event since this helps us become more familiar with the Haitian culture and francophone racial minorities in Ontario.
During the event, there will be music, a day of soccer, barbecue, and much more.
The Government of Canada is very pleased to contribute funding for this festival year after year. I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous contribution of city councillor Bob Monette in the uptake of this event.
People of Orléans and everyone of the National Capital Region, this is a rendezvous.
Mr. Speaker, I say more than “thank you so much”; I offer you “piles of thanks”.
View Colin Carrie Profile
CPC (ON)
View Colin Carrie Profile
2014-06-18 14:12 [p.7064]
Mr. Speaker, [Member spoke in foreign languages]. In my home riding of Oshawa, residents are celebrating the 40th annual Fiesta Week, one of our most popular summer events.
This past Sunday, I was proud to be part of the Fiesta Week kickoff and attended the parade and concert. This week-long celebration is a wonderful opportunity to experience the cultural diversity of Oshawa. During this week, residents of Oshawa and Durham Region are able to experience European, Asian, and Caribbean cultures and cuisines, all without having to leave our community.
With the tragic events in Ukraine over the past several months, Oshawa residents stand in solidarity with our Ukrainian community taking part in the celebration. Fiesta Week continues to be an inspiring celebration of the cultural diversity of Oshawa. I encourage everyone to participate in the festivities.
I would like to thank all the volunteers and the Oshawa Folk Arts Council who make this event possible.
[Member spoke in foreign languages]
View Andrew Saxton Profile
CPC (BC)
View Andrew Saxton Profile
2014-06-12 14:08 [p.6736]
Mr. Speaker, Mabuhay. On June 12, Filipino Canadians across the country celebrate a very special occasion, Philippine Independence Day, and today marks the 160th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence from Spanish colonial rule.
In my riding of North Vancouver, we host the largest Philippine Independence Day festival in British Columbia, organized by the Metro Vancouver Philippine Arts and Cultural Exposition Society.
This is a great opportunity to celebrate the diversity and rich cultural heritage of the Philippines. Booths filled with tantalizing aromas from traditional foods and drinks offer everything from chicken adobo to sweet pastry ensaymadas. Local businesses also showcase their products and services, making it another great opportunity for the whole community to come together. This is a wonderful day to spend with family and friends and an important day to celebrate the strong ties our two nations share. Having recently visited Manila, I can say more than ever just how similar our values of freedom, peace, and democracy are.
To all I say, Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan.
View Ted Hsu Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Ted Hsu Profile
2014-06-10 14:04 [p.6543]
Today is Portugal Day, when Portuguese communities around the world commemorate the death of Luis de Camões, the author of Os Lusíadas, Portugal's national poem celebrating Portuguese history and achievements. Camões captured the sentiment of the age of discovery, when Portuguese explorers led the world in mapping the coasts of Africa, Asia, and Brazil.
In Toronto, over 200,000 Portuguese Canadians celebrate Portugal Day with a week-long festival in Little Portugal. Portuguese immigrants have helped to build strong communities and successful businesses throughout Canada. The highest per capita Portuguese immigrant population is in my riding of Kingston and the Islands. Centred around Nossa Senhora de Fátima and the Portuguese Cultural Centre, the Portuguese immigrant story is an important part of Kingston's history.
In 2010, the Portuguese Cultural Centre hosted World Cup games, drawing soccer fans from all over. I look forward to World Cup excitement and Portugal's first game next Monday.
Boa sorte e feliz dia de Portugal!
View Andrew Cash Profile
NDP (ON)
View Andrew Cash Profile
2014-06-10 14:06 [p.6544]
Mr. Speaker, today, as Portugal honours its greatest poet, Luís de Camões, it is a privilege for me to honour the Luso Canadian community as we celebrate Portugal Day.
Canada provided a home for many early immigrants from Portugal who left behind decades of fascist rule. They came with next to nothing, but their pockets were full with the desire to contribute and to succeed, not just for their own families and for their own community, but for Canada as a whole. Because of their experience, they wanted to help build a Canada that was fair for all, where everyone had access to opportunity, to health care, and to education.
Today, that very same community's contribution to our cultural, commercial, and social life is one of Canada's great success stories. Portugal Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect not only on those accomplishments but on who we are as Canadians and the Luso Canadian community's vital role in shaping the Canadian identity.
I invite my colleagues and Canadians from coast to coast to coast to celebrate and to congratulate the Portuguese-Canadian community. We wish Portugal good luck in the World Cup.
Viva Portugal. Viva Canadá.
View Mark Adler Profile
CPC (ON)
View Mark Adler Profile
2014-06-06 11:00 [p.6372]
Mr. Speaker, Mabuhay.
On June 12, Canadians of Filipino origin will be celebrating 116 years of independence. Marked by Filipinos around the world as the country's national day, it is the time to commemorate the sacrifices made by such heroes of the Philippines as José Rizal and Andres Bonifacio.
The first Filipinos came to Canada in 1930, and since then, Filipino Canadians have made tremendous contributions to our country's social and cultural fabric, to our economy, and to our nation's history.
This year's national day is particularly poignant as we also pause to remember those lives lost and uprooted due to Hurricane Yolanda. Canada's response to this tragedy was swift, decisive, and substantive. This showed Filipino Canadians that as members of the Canadian family, we stand together.
I am proud to say that York Centre has one of the largest number of Filipino Canadians of any riding in Canada, and I look forward to celebrating national day with them.
For all Filipino Canadians, I take great pride in saying, Araw ng Kalayaan.
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