Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: Honourable senators, March 21 was the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which was designated by the United Nations in 1966. An organization in Quebec, the Centre international de documentation et d’information haïtienne, caribéenne et afro‑canadienne, or CIDIHCA, created the Action Week against Racism and for Equal Opportunities to mark the occasion. This year marks the twenty-third anniversary of this event. The CIDIHCA coordinates activities dedicated to the fight against various forms of intolerance in our society.

A wide range of activities is planned for the week of action, which runs from March 21 to March 31. Virtual and in-person activities will take place in several cities across Quebec. They include exhibitions, workshops, webinars, film screenings and plays performed by students, to name but a few.

This year’s theme is about welcoming refugees and migrants to Quebec.

A CBC/Radio-Canada article from March 11, 2022, detailed several reports of racist behaviour on the part of border officials towards people of colour fleeing the war in Ukraine. Here in the nation’s capital, the African Canadian Association of Ottawa has already raised nearly $80,000 in donations to help students facing discrimination. The association hopes that Canada will consider these students like other migrants from Ukraine.

I am encouraged by the solidarity shown in welcoming Ukrainians to Canada. While we celebrate this generosity, I hope it translates into immigration measures that make it easier for other migrants to come to Canada.

Temporary foreign workers represent another challenge in this context. In 2017, there were more than half a million of them in Canada. These workers come to Canada to carry out essential tasks and help fill the labour shortage, particularly in the farming sectors, private homes, service stations, the restaurant industry and health care, to name a few.

Currently, there are nearly one million job vacancies. That is a record. Let’s work together to improve how we welcome refugees and migrants. It is a matter of human dignity and also a way to share our Canadian values to build a fairer and more equitable world. Thank you.

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