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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

May/2/22 11:50:45 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, namaste. It is such a pleasure to rise and speak to my colleague and friend's motion recognizing the significant contributions that Hinduism has offered not only to Canada but to the world. I was very impressed as I listened to his opening remarks. We get a sense of pride in Canada's diversity when a member of the House of Commons stands in this place with a great deal of pride to talk about the importance of Hinduism to every Canadian, no matter where they live, and about the many contributions that people of the Hindu faith have made over a hundred years here in Canada. There are contributions in virtually every political, economic and social sector of our society today. Ultimately, I suggest that it is a part of our Canadian identity. One only needs to listen to what the member for Nepean had to say to get an appreciation of just how important it is to our society. Members might recall the issue of the swastika. When it is being debated inside the chamber, it is often debated in a very negative sense, but it was our friend who brought its meaning to our attention in a very real and passionate way. He even sent me a YouTube link on the importance of that symbol to Hinduism, and that has not been lost on me, nor, I suspect, on many others. I say that because in a good way, education is the best way for us to combat issues like racism and intolerance. I genuinely believe to my core that the way to evolve into a better society is though education. Motions like the one the member has presented today are opportunities for all of us to continue along that line. Declaring the month of November as Hindu heritage month would provide each and every one of us the opportunity, if we choose, to ultimately promote and encourage educational opportunities. As passionate as the member for Nepean is on this particular motion, I have seen the member participate in other types of heritage month celebrations. For example, I can recall him standing on the lawns of the House of Commons talking about and participating in Filipino Heritage Month. I say that because when we have a heritage month, it offers a broader opportunity for all of us to become better acquainted with and have a better understanding of faiths and ethnicities. Hinduism is the third-largest religion and way of life in the world today. It has well over a billion people. As my colleague pointed out, there are just over 600,000 here in Canada. What an amazing community, as the member referenced. I suspect that if we looked at this per capita based on communities, we would be very impressed with the level of education and expertise and the sense of professionalism that can be found among our people of Hindu faith. While I was an MLA, I had a little more time to go into a number of different communities. I am very grateful for Manitoba Hindu Seniors Inc. It would invite me quite often to its centre, which is located on Ellice Avenue in Winnipeg. Just recently, it was the recipient of a grant from Ottawa to assist in the modernization of its accessibility. I can tell members that, when I attended events, every one of them provided some sort of educational opportunity, whether it was a celebration of the country of India's independence or providing a better understanding of what Hinduism is really all about. My colleague made reference to a thread of life that unites Hinduism around the world, and Hindus can be united through that thread. The first time I heard something of that nature was at the Manitoba Hindu Seniors centre. Would one want an appreciation of brilliant colours and to know the importance of colours to the world? We already had one member make reference to the celebration of Holi and the many different colours one can experience. If someone wants a good sense of that, they could attend a Holi celebration sponsored by members of our Hindu communities, and they would see the joy, happiness and love in the hearts of people in a real and tangible way. Thousands of Winnipeggers, non-Hindus, see that every year, with the exception of the last couple of years because of the pandemic, when they attend a traditional summer festival known as Folklorama. At Folklorama, people can go to the India pavilion where they will see many religious symbols of the Hindu community and see many of the different dances that originate from the Hindu faith or followers of the Hindu faith. It is very inspiring. I remember one of the dance instructors I got to know and knew for many years. She once talked to those in attendance, these young ladies, about how it is an impressive art that the dance provides to the community. She was very much boastful of her students. She talked about how, at the time, somewhere around 80 students had graduated from her school, and 67 of them had gone on to become doctors. I suspect the discipline in learning the dance, the understandings and the meanings of the dance, contributed to that. The member made reference to the importance of the preservation and encouragement of the many aspects of the Hinduism faith. It is so critically important. We see that the contributions go far beyond the faith alone. It is rooted in the faith, a faith that has been in existence for a while. I have heard it called the oldest religion. I think it gets that because of a script that was written thousands of years ago. In fact, it might be the first script written of a religious nature. Do not quote me on that, but I believe that is where it comes from. We are talking about thousands of years ago. Around 4,000 years would be my best guesstimate. It is a religion that has a great deal of tolerance. I have had the opportunity to participate in special engagements, be at the temples, see the shrines come to life and see the manner in which that is conducted. There is an understanding and appreciation of other faiths. There is a lot to be learned by that. That is why I think having a heritage month for Hinduism in November would be of great benefit to all Canadians. It would not be just for the Hindu community, but for all Canadians. I look forward to future months of November when we will see extra celebrations because of this motion ultimately passing through the House of Commons.

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