- Member of Parliament
- Member of Parliament
- Liberal
- Scarborough Centre
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 66%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $131,199.78
- Government Page
- Apr/30/24 2:00:17 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the painful events unfolding in Gaza are taking a deep emotional toll on many in Canada, particularly members of Muslim and Jewish communities. We must find ways to disagree peacefully, while respecting the rights of free speech and protest and the right of people to feel safe in their schools and places of worship.
I have heard from many people who are concerned that their charter rights are under threat. There is an effort in our country to marginalize and silence pro-Palestinian voices, as well as to redefine and mislabel cultural symbols, such as the kaffiyeh, as terrorist symbols. This is wrong. It is dishonest and shameful to conflate support for the Palestinian people with support for a terrorist organization.
Like most Canadians, most protesters want to see a ceasefire, humanitarian aid and the return of hostages and prisoners. As the government updates its anti-racism strategy, I urge it to address and define anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism.
163 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/18/24 5:39:46 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Hamas is a terrorist group, but it does not represent or speak for the Palestinian people. It should not and must not have a role in the future of Palestine.
Let us be clear: Whether we choose to recognize it or not, Palestine is a state. The Palestinian people have a right to self-determination, as do all people. The contention that this would somehow reward Hamas is a nonsensical argument, and it is official: The Palestinian people have the right to their own state. We cannot and must not allow the Netanyahu government, whose air strikes have killed tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians and is encouraging illegal settlements on Palestinian territory, a veto over Palestinian human rights.
122 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/18/24 5:37:23 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his work and standing up for justice and humanity.
The week of January 13, I had the honour of joining the hon. member in visiting the West Bank, Israel and Jordan. I had heard about illegal settlements for a very long time, but I saw the scope of the illegal settlements and the dehumanization that Palestinians face in their lives every day. I was in Bethlehem at the Aida refugee camp, where I spoke directly with families. I heard from them that, every night, they sleep with the fear that someone might raid their houses. Men tell their wives and daughters not to take their hijabs off because someone might enter.
They are facing dehumanization every second, so it is very important that Canada recognize those settlements as illegal. We need to make sure that we take action. Netanyahu's government has expanded and encouraged illegal settlers. It is important to take that into account and make sure that we put an end to the illegal settlements.
177 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/18/24 5:27:03 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in Canada's House of Commons to speak to the carnage and the tragedy continuing to happen in Gaza. Since I first rose to speak to the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank during the take-note debate on October 16, 2023, more than four months ago, my message has been consistent and very clear: There must be a lasting, endurable ceasefire to end the violence and to protect innocent civilians. There must be unimpeded and unrestricted access to Gaza for badly needed humanitarian aid. All hostages and prisoners must be released and returned to their families.
Since October, more than 31,000 civilians, many of them innocent children, have been confirmed killed. That number is likely an understatement. Many more bodies lie beneath the rubble. As of February 21, over 75% of the population of Gaza, up to 1.7 million men, women and children, has been displaced. Many have been forced to flee multiple times in futile attempts to find safety. Up to 1.9 million IDPs are residing either in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters.
While the world watches, a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions is unfolding before our eyes. Two weeks ago, after Israeli gunfire, we saw the deaths of over 100 Palestinians and the injury of more than 760 as a desperate, starved and beaten people tried to get badly needed humanitarian aid in order to stay alive another day. Will there be an investigation into this massacre? Will there be justice for those people?
There must be a ceasefire, and I do not believe that Canada has yet done all within its capability to push for one. One day our grandchildren will ask us what we did as parliamentarians and as humans at this time. Let us be able to tell them that we left no stone unturned in the pursuit of peace and justice.
I am glad that the government has restored Canada's funding commitment to UNRWA. In my view, it should never have been suspended. The allegations made against several fired contractors are serious. The UN is investigating, and I hope all intelligence is shared with it to facilitate the investigation. However, it is unacceptable to collectively punish the organization for the actions of a few. Really, it is the Palestinian people who suffer, because UNRWA is the only organization with the resources on the ground to effectively deliver aid to the people of Gaza.
While we are rightly seized with the immediate crisis, the issue is much larger, and we must also look to the future. I recently had the opportunity to travel to the West Bank, Jordan and Israel with a group of humanitarian aid groups and parliamentarians. This included the member for Edmonton Strathcona, whom I thank for bringing the motion forward today. It was a moving and eye-opening trip. We can read about the situation in the region and we can watch news reports and videos shared on social media, but nothing can compare to seeing it with one's own eyes.
We visited refugee camps in Jordan and in the West Bank. We met Palestinian families displaced from their homes for generations. I was struck by the hardships and dehumanization they are forced to endure every day in their lives: not being allowed to drive on certain roads; their shops closed; constant harassment by soldiers; people dying in ambulances at checkpoints, not allowed to cross; basic resources such as water being denied to them while illegal Israeli settlements nearby have uninterrupted access; children arrested and held indefinitely and arbitrarily.
They are facing dehumanization every second of their life, yet I was also struck by the resiliency of the Palestinian people, by their optimism that one day they will be able to return and live safely and in peace in the land of their ancestors. That is what all people want: to be able to live side by side in peace and safety, to go to work, and to build a better life for the next generation.
Canada's foreign policy is support for a two-state solution, and we are in opposition to illegal Israeli settlements, yet these settlements are growing exponentially, with the express intent of making a two-state solution really impossible. When will Canada do more than just wag its finger at the deliberate policy against peace being exercised by the Netanyahu government? If there are no consequences, our words are meaningless. People are tired of empty words.
Illegal Israeli settlers are attacking Palestinians with impunity, using Netanyahu government-supplied weapons. The United States implemented sanctions against extremist settlers months ago and a second round in early February. Canada has sanctioned Hamas, but it has yet to follow our ally in sanctioning extremist Israeli settlers. I cannot understand why we have yet to act.
I welcomed our government's program to bring extended family members of Canadians out of Gaza and the immigration minister's assurance that 1,000 people is a target and not a cap. I have written to him that Palestinian refugees fleeing the war zone should have all the same support as Ukrainian refugees fleeing their war zone. Like the minister, I am frustrated that local authorities, including those in Israel and Egypt, have not been allowing Canadians and their extended families to leave Gaza for safety. As the minister said, we are all failing the Gazans at this point. They are probably under the largest hostage-taking situation in the world. What Canadians want to know is what we are going to do about it. Will there be any consequences for the hostage-taking? When will our foreign policy change?
I would like to move on to the issue of trade in military goods and technology. Canada has clear rules on the export of military arms and technology. No Canadian lethal weapons should be exported and used against innocent Palestinian civilians. The foreign affairs minister has said that no lethal weapons have been exported under her watch, and I accept her word. There have also been media reports that the government has also suspended approval of non-lethal military exports to Israel due to human rights concerns. If true, this would amount to a de facto arms embargo. Canadians are demanding clarity here. We need a clear statement from the government. The Canadians who have written to me are clear: Canadian arms cannot and must not be used against innocent civilians.
We must support the prosecution of all crimes and violations of international law committed in the region. Wars have rules, and those who have violated them, be they Israeli or Hamas, must face international justice. This means supporting the work of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Finally, Canada must officially recognize the state of Palestine as a free and democratic state alongside a free and democratic State of Israel. This cannot wait for a hoped-for final settlement between these parties. We must recognize now the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and a state of their own while negotiations for a just and equitable peace between two equal peoples continue.
I urge Canada to act on this immediately. It is time for Canada to stand up and be counted. Canadians are looking to us. They expect us to lead. They expect us to act. Either we stand for peace and justice, or we do not. Either we stand for human rights everywhere and for everyone, or we do not. I will be voting in favour of the motion. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
However, motions themselves are not enough. Canadians are demanding action. Only the government can act. I beg our government to please act for the innocent civilians of Palestine and Israel who want to live together in peace, and to act for the Canadians who want to be proud of their country once again. Let us be able to tell our next generation we were on the right side of history.
1347 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/18/24 2:10:11 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, this month, millions of Muslims across Canada and around the world, including my family and me, are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. We celebrate by fasting during the day, sharing meals with friends and family at sunset, and becoming closer to our faith. It is usually a time of community and of celebration. However, when we gather this year, we speak of Gaza.
As we eat our dates, we think of the innocent Palestinian people forced into starvation. We think about mothers desperately grinding up animal feed to feed their children and about young children waking up in the hospital, still in shock, to find out their parents were killed in Israeli air strikes.
My prayer for Ramadan, as it has been for many months, is for an immediate and just ceasefire, the return of all hostages and prisoners, and unimpeded humanitarian aid.
My prayers are for peace and justice.
153 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/29/23 2:07:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, November 29 is International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people. Given the recent conflict in the region, which has resulted in the deaths of over 14,000 innocent Palestinian civilians, including over 6,000 children, this year’s event is particularly poignant.
I continue to call for a permanent ceasefire, for a return of all hostages to their families and for badly needed humanitarian aid to reach all the people of Gaza. I pray that everyone can put their differences aside and work towards a just, equitable and peaceful two-state solution. Violence is never the answer. I yearn for the day when two peoples can live side by side in peace and prosperity.
Tonight, led by Palestinian, Arab and Muslim staffers, we will gather at the eternal flame on Parliament Hill in peace and solidarity with the Palestinian people. I hope all will join us.
150 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/9/23 1:59:37 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, since the current conflict in Gaza began, more than 10,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives. Over 4,000 of them are children. More children were killed in Gaza in one month than in any conflict annually since 2019. Eighty-nine UNRWA employees have been killed. This is the highest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict ever. Nearly 40 journalists have died. They were not terrorists. They were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, daughters and sons. How many more innocent people's lives will be lost?
When our grandchildren ask us what we did during this crisis, what do we want to tell them? The Prime Minister said that the price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of Palestinian citizens. I agree.
At every opportunity, I have called for a return of all hostages and a ceasefire to save innocent civilian lives. It is the only answer, and I will continue to make this plea: ceasefire now.
165 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 9:39:41 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, as I said in my remarks, the only way to break out of this cycle of violence is for Israelis and Palestinians to work together for just peace that recognizes the rights of Israelis and Palestinians, who only want to live in peace, freedom and security.
We have a lot of work to do to get there. I hope that Canada plays its role in making sure of its call for lasting peace in that region.
78 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 9:29:21 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, let me begin by saying that, like all Canadians, I have watched with horror the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza. Violence and acts of terror are never the way to lasting peace and justice. Hamas is an illegal terrorist group that does not represent or advance the cause of the Palestinian or Muslim people. I condemn the intentional targeting of innocent civilians regardless of their political views or affiliations. I worry for the safety of the innocent civilians caught in the middle of this escalating conflict, especially the children.
I want to say that I will be sharing my time with the member for Outremont.
I am also concerned about the rising incidence of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism here in Canada where we live in peace with our neighbours. While we worry for our friends and loved ones overseas, we must treat each other with patience, kindness and understanding. My prayers are with all of those who are deeply worried and traumatized by the events in Israel and Palestine.
As a mother, I worry about the trauma so many children must be experiencing. I know everyone has been traumatized by the news of the attack on a Muslim family in Chicago and the death of a six-year-old boy who were targeted because they are Muslim. As a mother, I worry for the safety of my own children when they go out to eat, play basketball or go to work. We are all worried.
I came to Canada to live a peaceful life. I condemn all incidents of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I urge any incidents of hateful violence to be investigated by the proper authorities. There is no place for any hatred in Canada.
I have heard from many in the Scarborough community who are deeply concerned about Israel's order to one million innocent civilians to flee Gaza under an unrealistic deadline. International law is clear: Civilians must be protected and must not be targets.
It is painfully clear that a humanitarian crisis is under way in Gaza. The situation is dire. There are serious shortages of water and food. Hospitals have run out of vital supplies. Electricity is not available. Casualties are mounting by the day. The siege of Gaza must end. The innocent civilians of Gaza must not be victims of this conflict. The World Health Organization and the United Nations have urged that this order be rescinded. There needs to be a humanitarian corridor and support for these innocent civilians including food, water and electricity. The United Nations and other humanitarian agencies are ready to help and do that work. Canada must do all it can to ensure the safe and unimpeded access of relief via a humanitarian corridor. I urge Canada to be a voice for an immediate ceasefire, the end of all violence and the return of all hostages home to their families.
While our focus is on the immediate crisis and the protection of the innocent civilians of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, we must not lose sight of the need to end the cycle of violence. The only way to do that is through dialogue. History has shown us that war and violence are never the way to peace and justice. Canada has long been a proponent for a two-state solution: A free and democratic state of Israel and a free and democratic state of Palestine, living side by side in peace. Sadly, that dream seems to slip further away every day, yet I do not know what other option for a better future there could be.
Canadian policy is also clear: Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are a violation of the fourth Geneva convention and constitute a serious obstacle to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Again, I call for Canada to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. All those guilty of war crimes must face international justice.
When I speak to members of the Palestinian community, they are tired. They are in pain. They feel their future has been on hold for generations. They feel their freedom has been denied.
They just want what all of us want, what all of us take for granted: to be able to work, to walk their children to school and to be able to give the next generation a better future without security checkpoints and constant worry. They yearn for hope but so many, too many, are without hope. They cannot see a better future for their children.
Let Canada be a voice for hope.
763 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/29/22 2:12:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, November 29 is recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It was on this day in 1947 that the UN adopted the partition resolution calling for the establishment in Palestine of a Jewish state and an Arab state. Of the two states to be created under this resolution, only one has so far come into being. On this day, we express solidarity with the Palestinian people who still wait, decades later, for their right to self-determination.
We call on all governments, including Canada, to stand up and champion the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to have the same human rights that we hold dear to ourselves and for a just and fair two-state solution to be negotiated.
As chair of the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group, I will continue to be a voice for justice and human rights for the people of Palestine.
156 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
