44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 13, 2023 10:00AM
moved that Bill S-246, An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month, be read the second time and referred to a committee.
She said: Mr. Speaker, it is always a privilege to speak on behalf of the people of Halifax West.
Today, as a proud Lebanese Canadian, I am honoured to speak on Bill S-246, which would designate the month of November as Lebanese heritage month across Canada.
First I want to thank Senator Jane Cordy for shepherding this bill in the Senate chamber. The bill had its origins with my private member's bill, Bill C-268, last year.
It was a special honour to testify at the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology when the bill was being considered at that place, not only because I represent many Lebanese Nova Scotians in Halifax West but also because I have worked throughout my life to share, celebrate and preserve Lebanese culture, language and traditions in Canada.
I speak to this bill as the daughter of first-generation Lebanese immigrants to Canada from the tiny village of Diman. I also spent years of my childhood growing up surrounded by grandparents and elders of the village before fleeing war and reuniting with extended family and community back in Nova Scotia.
I joined, at the age of 15, Diman Association Canada, a group that was founded in 1973 by second-generation teenagers whose parents emigrated from the village of Diman. This group continues to flourish and celebrates its 50-year anniversary September 30.
I also joined the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax and was elected for the first time in 1993, over 30 years ago, as the first female president, serving six terms. The last was in 2013, when I entered politics. This organization, founded in 1938 and headed by Lieutenant Edward Francis Arab as its first president, is one of the oldest such organizations in North America.
It was founded by first-generation Lebanese immigrants who wanted to stay connected to their heritage, their culture and their mother tongue.
We mark its 85th anniversary this November.
I am also a former parish council member at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church. In Halifax, there are two Lebanese churches, Our Lady of Lebanon and Saint Antonios Orthodox Church, and each year each church hosts a summer Lebanese festival, one in June and the other in July, for all to enjoy.
A week ago, Our Lady of Lebanon hosted the Lebanese Cedar Festival with food, music, dance performances and so much more. It was a proud moment for me to see my children volunteering at the festival and my grandchildren doing the Lebanese dabke.
It was a welcome source of fun and community building and a chance to show our love and provide support to feed Nova Scotia and others in the community.
Through my involvement in all these groups, I have met people and groups across the country.
I know how significant this recognition would be, as the provincial recognition was significant when we proclaimed it in Nova Scotia in 2018.
When our Senate colleagues spoke to Bill S-246, they shared the stories of Lebanese Canadians from across the country, such as the Lebanese peddlers and fur traders who arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s in P.E.I., Victoria and Edmonton.
There is business owner Annie Midlige, the first Lebanese immigrant in Ottawa.
There is George Shebib, who introduced the card game tarabish to Cape Bretoners in 1901.
There is William Haddad, a shopkeeper's son who became one of the first Arab judges in Canada.
There is Nazem Kadri, the Stanley Cup champion, and those who gave their lives for Canada, such as Charlie Younes and Lieutenant Edward Francis Arab, after whom we have named a street in the Westmount subdivision of Halifax.
There are also high-performance athletes like John Hanna, John Makdessi and Fabian Joseph from Nova Scotia.
There are artists as varied as singer Paul Anka, Drake collaborator Noah “40” Shebib, documentarian Amber Fares, Order of Ontario recipient Sandra Shamas, visual artist Jay Isaac and Order of Canada recipient Consul Wadih M. Fares, just to name a few.
There are academics and rights advocates.
There are civic leaders from all levels of government and political parties, including former senators and former members of Parliament, as well as my two federal colleagues from Laval—Les Îles and Edmonton—Manning and my former provincial colleagues Patricia Arab and Zach Churchill. There are, of course, Canada's first premier of non-European descent, Premier Joe Ghiz, and later his son Robert Ghiz, and so many more.
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- Jun/14/23 12:16:16 a.m.
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I want to thank the member for her intervention. As a Nova Scotian, it is great to be chairing this tonight because I have many friends who of course are of Lebanese descent.
Questions and comments, the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
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- Jun/14/23 12:16:31 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I cannot imagine there will be a voice opposing the creation of this recognition of the significant contribution of Lebanese Canadians to the life of Canadians. I found it very touching that our hon. colleague was asked to send a video from Nova Scotia home to children in Lebanon. I think the more we improve our ties with that country and welcome the Lebanese diaspora to Canada, the better off we all will be.
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- Jun/14/23 12:17:18 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, the hon. member is Lebanese, as I am, and we both share probably very similar experiences.
How does she see the Lebanese community being more involved and being able to contribute more to Canada as the community itself is growing very fast these days?
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- Jun/14/23 12:17:49 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleague and across all party lines to ensure that all people of Lebanese heritage in this country see themselves not only in this Parliament but also in all fields in all the life of this country.
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- Jun/14/23 12:18:12 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for Halifax West for a tremendous job in presenting this bill here in the House, for her tremendous work on behalf of all Canadians and, indeed, for her proud Lebanese heritage.
In Kings—Hants we actually have a pretty sizable Lebanese population. I think about people like Rob Bitar and Lino Ruhabahi. I think about the Al-Qadr family and Mount Uniacke.
Can the hon. member for Halifax West talk about the conversations she has had with her constituents, and indeed with many in the Lebanese community, about how important and meaningful this bill is for them?
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- Jun/14/23 12:18:49 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is very emotional. To be frank, what I will say is this: I think I speak for all the Lebanese in this country but also for those in Lebanon. This is like being nominated for the biggest Oscar possible, and going and receiving that trophy or award. I just feel like I want to stand here, thank my God, my family, community and everybody. Honestly, I want to thank everyone from the House and the Senate for shepherding this through.
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Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to thank the member for Halifax West for her years of dedication to this, but also for her tremendous will to highlight her community.
At a time in Canada when so much feels lost to so many folks, sometimes all we have is who we are. Lebanese Canadians from coast to coast to coast can find solace in the fact that there are champions, not just in this chamber but right across the country, whether they are persons who work in the local grocery store, local business people or folks who have contributed to our Canadian history in ways that will not be forgotten, especially now with the hopeful passage of Bill S-246, designating November as Lebanese heritage month.
I want to speak a little to two fronts. One is about how the impact of Lebanese Canadians has affected me in my life, but in particular the community of Alberta. It is no secret that in Alberta there is a long-standing tradition between the Lebanese community and indigenous people in particular. Harkening back all the way to the fur trade, we knew that there were folks who were willing to join indigenous people in what would be the frontier of a new era, an era that would bring peace and prosperity but also a tremendous new way of life to the prairies, one which Lebanese Canadians are builders of.
There is a community in central Alberta called Lac la Biche. Lac la Biche is a small northern Alberta community that is home to some of the most vibrant Lebanese family members who I am sure many in the Lebanese community know. The member for Halifax West spoke about this. They have made huge contributions, not only to language diversity in Canada but also to indigenous culture.
I want to speak about a unique story in my community. Many of the Lebanese immigrants actually came to Alberta during the fur trade, and then learned languages, like Cree, Dene, Ojibway and Michif. They learned many indigenous languages and then took that with them to all walks of life. Many community members of Lebanese descent in Edmonton, Alberta, are from a little town called Lala. There was actually a teepee built in Lala. I remember as a young person seeing pictures from fellow Métis people of this community, far away, where we had relatives. It happened to be in the community in Lebanon, the tiny town of Lala.
This relationship is truly remarkable. It is one that I think emphasizes the tremendous contributions of Lebanese persons to the prairies and to places from coast to coast to coast, and in particular in Atlantic Canada.
I want to share a story about how my community in Edmonton was built. It was built by some remarkable Lebanese folks. One remarkable Lebanese person I want to talk about today, and one I hope we could all continue to speak about in many of the heritage months to come, is a woman named Hilwie Jomha, who was from Lala, a small village in the Beqaa Valley, what is now Lebanon, in 1905.
She was the daughter of a leading family in a village whose culture was of mixed Sunni, Shia, as well as Christian and Jewish faith. Hilwie's future husband, Ali Hamdon had come to Canada in the early 1900s, together with relatives and friends from the same valley she was from. He became a fur trader in Fort Chipewyan, in northern Alberta, where many of my family members were also fur traders. There is no doubt they would have known each other.
After he set up home there, he returned to Lala and to Hilwie. She immigrated with him in 1923 to begin her life's work in Canada, a kind of sacrifice that many make still today in the community, one that is not always easy, sometimes tremendously difficult, but one she took courage in and one that she found a home quickly in.
She adapted to life in Alberta. She quickly struck up deep friendships amongst the Jewish communities in Fort Chipewyan. After Hilwie had children, the Hamdons moved to Edmonton where Hilwie truly made her mark, not only as a citizen in Edmonton but as a community leader.
The city's small but fast-growing Muslim community had a big problem in the 1930s. Like everywhere else in Canada at that time, they did not have a mosque. Imagine that, not being able to have a place where one could gather with their friends, extended family and community. Prayers had to be held at individuals' homes, but they were limited in what they could do without a common meeting place.
Hilwie had a natural gift for connecting people. It was almost like a superpower, something that she was able to do not only as the new burgeoning community of Lebanese were there but also amongst all Edmontonians. She brought Muslims together for Ramadan and became a fixture of the local community during the 1930s. It was a decade when Arab businesses in Edmonton were making their mark on the city's business scene.
The Arab community in Edmonton had great strength and it began to have discussions about building a mosque of its very own. Hilwie was at the heart of these conversations. Soon these talks quickly turned into action, and Edmonton's Arab community hatched a plan to build North America's first mosque. Along with a group of Arab businessmen, Hilwie approached the mayor of Edmonton about buying some city land for the mosque, but there was a problem: The mayor wanted $5,000, quite a large sum at the time. However, the community members were not going to be let down, so they organized, but there was not a central body to do it.
To solve this problem, the community came together to found an Arab-Muslim association. Hilwie was at the heart of this community organizing. She marshalled the whole community, including people of various religious groups, to build the mosque. Hilwie went door to door on Jasper Avenue, in the heart of Edmonton Griesbach today, and asked business owners to support the project. These efforts allowed the group to buy the land for the mosque and build its foundations.
However, there were more challenges. The initial funding was not enough to complete the mosque. When money ran out, Hilwie and the community sprang into action and made appeals for funding to Muslim business owners right across western Canada. This final push toward that work resulted in the construction of the Al Rashid Mosque, which finally opened its doors in Edmonton in 1938. Al Rashid not only became Canada's first mosque but also one of the earliest in all of North America. It quickly became a fixture of local communities and still is to this day.
I am pleased to share the story of Hilwie, an incredible human being who helped not only to build the first mosque in Canada's history but also helped build our city, helped build our province and helped build our country. It not only speaks to the strength of Edmonton's Lebanese community; it is also a testament of what Canada is and what Canada can be. Lebanese heritage month would ensure that we have an opportunity to honour and celebrate remarkable Canadians like Hilwie every single year, which is something I am more than proud to stand to recognize.
I want to mention that as this bill proceeds, the New Democratic Party and I are pleased to support it in all stages.
Before I end, I want to mention some other remarkable people of Lebanese origin in my life, like the El Safadi brothers, who opened the doors of the first Lebanese grocery store in Edmonton. It became a mainstay of Arab Edmontonian diets, and I am sure that many of the Lebanese folks watching know very well, if they have ever visited Edmonton, that it is a staple.
Another example is the Canadian Arab Friendship Association, which wins the heritage day every single year, placing first in the festival. This year, as a matter of fact, the festival is being hosted in Edmonton Griesbach, and it has won that award for 17 years.
To conclude, I want to mention someone who is quite special in my life and special to the New Democratic Party, and that is Anthony Salloum.
Some members may know Anthony Salloum as the person in our opposition lobby, but Anthony Salloum is so much more. He is a remarkable human being who has served the New Democratic Party for over 20 years in an official capacity, and I am sure much longer than that unofficially. He is not only the person who sparks up a smile when someone walks by in the lobby or consoles them when they are having a bad day; he is also somebody who is going to reach across many party lines, because for him it is not about party but about people, just like many in the Lebanese community right across our country. He is someone who demonstrates the spirit and heart of the Lebanese community, like those in my community and right across Canada. The goodwill, the nature of community and the ability to support others is a staple that is huge in my life. I know I have been able to stand in this place with greater courage, with greater power and with a greater voice because of him.
To Anthony and to the many Lebanese right across our country, I want to thank you for your contribution and thank you for building your home here. This is truly home to us all.
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Mr. Speaker, on August 4, 2020, an explosion devastated the city of Beirut in a country already grappling with economic insecurity and a refugee crisis.
The explosion was caused by ammonium nitrate that was improperly stored. The blast rocked the entire city and destroyed the largest port in Lebanon, the country's main entry point for food imports.
Lebanese authorities rejected multiple judicial requests to lift parliamentary immunity and allow questioning of security officials. The government also failed to execute arrest warrants against a former minister. In February 2021, Judge Tarek Bitar was appointed to lead the investigation. According to a UN special rapporteur, he faced increasing obstacles and threats to carry out his work. Up until that point, no one had been tried for the August 2020 explosion, which 215 people dead, 6,000 injured and 300,000 displaced.
Earlier this year, to everyone's surprise, the lead judge decided to resume his investigation into the explosion despite enormous political pressure. Victims of the explosion and their families have been demanding justice for more than two years. In late January 2023, the judge in charge of the investigation defied the authorities by laying charges against Lebanon's top public prosecutor, a decision that was unprecedented in the country's history. Two senior security officials were also charged with homicide with probable intent.
Today, a large part of the population associates this tragedy with the corruption and negligence of the ruling class, which tried to put an end to the investigation to avoid charges. Since 2019, Lebanon has been plunged into an unprecedented socio-economic crisis largely associated with corruption and negligence on the part of the ruling class. Earlier this year, demonstrators blocked streets in Beirut and other cities to protest against deteriorating living conditions and the weakening of the Lebanese currency. The situation has only gotten worse.
Eighty-five kilometres north of Beirut, an ambitious architectural project is also falling into disrepair, a sign of the various governments' failure to properly manage the country for years, even decades. That does not inspire much hope. Fortunately, however, UNESCO urgently added the 70-hectare site between the historic centre of Tripoli and the Al Mina port to the List of Word Heritage in Danger.
To give a bit of history, in 1962, renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was mandated by the Lebanese government to design an international fair in Tripoli. The goal of the project was to put Lebanon on the world map and attract investors. Lebanon and Tripoli were confident in their future knowing that they had an inspirational heritage. The work began in 1964.
I know that people are wondering where I am going with this, but a connection will soon become apparent. The site for the international fair is gigantic. This complex was supposed to have an exhibition hall, three museums, an experimental theatre and an open air theatre. It was a massive undertaking. The purpose of this incomparably large site was to promote Lebanese culture and traditions to the world. In the end, the project was abandoned because of the civil war in Lebanon, which started in 1975. Since then, the buildings are no longer maintained.
Despite many efforts by architects and artists to draw the attention of the Lebanese authorities and the world to the importance of preserving this exceptional complex, today to some it has become a symbol of the failure of past government decisions and, of course, the unfulfilled dream of its architect, the Brazilian we were talking about earlier.
The place is huge, but mostly deserted. It is like stepping into a dream, far from the hustle and bustle of Tripoli, Lebanon's second-largest city. It is a grandiose place with a futuristic flair, yet little known outside its borders. Despite the lack of financial resources, despite the negligence of the Lebanese authorities, it remains standing, proud, a reflection of the people and of the MPs of Lebanese origin who sit here in the House. I want to mention the member for Edmonton Manning, who will speak after me, the member for Halifax West, who spoke earlier, and my great friend from Laval—Les Îles, whom I adore.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention my dear friend from Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, who has Lebanese roots. Despite all our differences of opinion and our political approaches, I can still tell when someone is proud. He stands up for his constituents, the people he represents. I want to recognize that tonight. He is even in the House tonight. I am pleased to say that.
Our colleague from Halifax West said it best when she pointed out the strength and resilience of the Lebanese community in the preamble of Bill C-268. The purpose of Bill S-246, which is before us this evening, is to encourage Canadians and Quebeckers of Lebanese origin “to promote their traditions and culture and share them”. If passed, this bill designates the month of November as Lebanese heritage month.
Of course I support this initiative. The Bloc Québécois will support it wholeheartedly. I hope that my colleagues from the other parties will do the same. I fail to see how anyone would not do the same. The month of November is very important to the culture of that country, particularly because it celebrates independence, which was recognized on November 22, 1936, and became effective in 1945, after the Second World War. Independence is important.
A nation's desire to protect and pass on its culture, traditions and characteristics alone is often the strongest incentive to achieving sovereignty. Like a flame, culture warms people's hearts in uncertain times like the ones people in Lebanon are currently facing. Culture gives a glimmer of hope to those who are suffering.
That is why, in this period of uncertainty that has been going on for far too long, I want to assure the people of Lebanon and citizens of Canada and Quebec—because one day Quebec will be independent—of Lebanese descent that the Bloc Québécois supports the bill and supports them in their desire to make their unique traditions and culture known in Quebec and Canada, the traditions and culture that they were able to protect by becoming independent.
I will close by saying this. Every time a people becomes independent, they become a model for nations that are also trying to protect their traditions and culture. The road to independence is long and often fraught with challenges. To quote one of the greatest actors that Quebec has ever known and who just happened to be my grandfather, despite everything, “Independence will always hold a place in our hearts, with luminous clarity. It is self-evident”.
I would say that Quebec is my only country, but the Lebanese can say that Lebanon is their only country.
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Mr. Speaker, I was born in Lebanon, a land known for its beautiful mountains and magnificent valleys. Now I live in another country known for tall trees, beautiful mountains and magnificent valleys. Canada is my home. I grew up in a country with hot, humid summers and, in the mountain areas, lots of snow in the winter. I moved to a country with hot, humid summers and lots of snow in the winter. Canada is my home.
The people of Lebanon are proud of their history, heritage and symbols. Perhaps none are more famous than the cedars that adorn the national flag. Canadians are proud of their history, heritage and symbols, and they too have a famous tree. The maple leaf on the flag shouts to the world “Canada is here”. In Lebanon, the people have learned to live together in harmony and work together to build a society.
When I came to my new home, Canada, I discovered that the people here had learned to live together to bridge their differences. French, English and first nations laid the cornerstone for a country where language, race and creed are not as important as who we are as a person. Those founding groups have opened the door of this country to the world. Millions have come to Canada looking for a fresh start, including those from Lebanon. I was one of them.
My story is not unusual. I came to Canada to seek an opportunity that was not possible in Lebanon at that time. The land of my birth had suffered from years of civil war. The rebuilding was going to take time. Jobs and educational opportunities were limited. It made sense to come to Canada, at least for a short period of time. That short time has been more than 30 years now, which is more than half of my life. When I came here, I did not know I was going to fall in love with this country. I am proud of my Lebanese heritage, but Canada is my home now and always.
I am not alone in this feeling. There are more than 200,000 Canadians of Lebanese heritage. We are proud of our background, but prouder still to be a part of the greatest nation on earth. I am also proud to support Bill S-246 to establish Lebanese heritage month.
It is time to recognize the contributions Lebanese Canadians have made to this country since the first Lebanese immigrant came to Montreal in 1882, Ibrahim Abu Nadir. His Canadian name was Abraham Bounadere, and he came from Zahlé, a city about 50 kilometres from my hometown Aaiha. I feel a certain kinship with the young man who took a leap of faith to come to Canada, never dreaming what the future would be for the Lebanese people here.
Abraham was the first in the wave of immigrants coming to Canada looking for a better life and new opportunities. The first to come to Canada from Lebanon were mostly men with little education. Everything about the country was new to them, from the language to the climate to the ways of society. They discover that Lebanese values are Canadian values, including hard work, good manners, generosity, courage and honesty. Despite their different background, they found it easy to fit into Canadian society. They brought their families to Canada and built a community.
Those of Lebanese background have become part of the fabric of Canada, and this dominion is stronger because of that. Wherever we Lebanese have found ourselves, we look for ways to strengthen the community. That is another similarity between Canada and Lebanon. Our common values include a desire to serve and work to help those around us.
I am very much aware of the contributions of Lebanese culture and Lebanese people to Canadian society. We have had an impact greater than our numbers. It is a proud heritage, one that has shaped me and made me who I am today. When we think of the impact of Lebanese Canadians on our country, probably one of the first things that comes to most people's minds is business. The entrepreneurial spirit is stronger in Lebanese people. One could say that we prefer to be the boss.
Leon's Furniture comes to mind. It was a small family business started by a Lebanese immigrant, Ablan Leon, more than a century ago. It has now grown to more than 10,000 employees and 80 locations across Canada.
From small restaurants to major corporations, when we look at almost any business in Canada, we find someone of Lebanese background involved. However, it is not just business. When we talk about law, politics, medicine, music, academia or film, Lebanese Canadians have made their mark. Indeed, it was the grandson of a Lebanese immigrant who made one of the greatest Canadian films of all time.
In 1970, working with a shoestring budget, Donald Shebib told the story of a couple of young men from the Maritimes, who felt homesick in their new life in the big city. Goin' Down the Road became an instant classic, a story that was true then and remains true today. It is a story that captures so much of what it means to be Canadian. We are a nation in progress, and sometimes we do not realize that life is pretty good just where we are. Today, many young people still leave Atlantic Canada looking for a new life elsewhere, and they discover that, in a big city, their hopes and dreams are not always fulfilled. However, that does not stop people from hoping, dreaming, persevering or achieving.
Lebanese immigrants and people of Lebanese ancestry, full of hopes, dreams, perseverance and achievement, have been a central part of the Canadian experience for 150 years. We have come to this land from far away, and it has become our home. We are fond of Lebanon. We are enthusiastic about Lebanese culture, and especially Lebanese food. We are also passionate about Canada.
The nation, culture and community that we call Lebanon has been around for millennia. The border of the Lebanese state has sometimes changed to adapt to political fortunes in the Middle East. Lebanon once again became an independent nation on November 22, 1943, 80 years ago this year. It seems to me that this anniversary date makes it appropriate that we designate November in Canada as Lebanese heritage month.
I am proud to speak of my Lebanese heritage. I am prouder still to be able to call myself a Canadian. I love the land of my birth, and I still have family and friends there. However, Canada is not only the present but also the future for me and my family.
Let us celebrate Lebanese heritage month. Let us celebrate the contribution of those early immigrants from Lebanon and their descendants to making Canada the great nation it is today. Let us also celebrate who we are today, proud of our heritage, but prouder still to be Canadian.
Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.
I move:
That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, Bill S-246, An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month, be deemed to have been read a second time and referred to a committee of the whole, deemed considered in committee of the whole, deemed reported without amendment, deemed concurred in at report stage and deemed read a third time and passed.
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