I’m wearing my grandfather’s tie this morning, from the Clan Davison. It’s part of my family’s heritage. I’ve never sought permission to wear this tie in the House, however; and I know other members with Scottish roots have worn tartan garments, too. But there was a time when the tartan was banned. For 40 years after the Battle of Culloden, as British soldiers pillaged and cleared the lands of my ancestors, the crown banned the wearing of the tartan. That insult to my ancestors no longer exists.

But sadly, Speaker, I believe that today we are carrying a similar insult to Palestinian Canadians, Arabs and Muslims when we ban the wearing of kaffiyehs in this House.

The kaffiyeh is a symbol of rich cultural history. I am told it represents the fishing nets, olive trees, and ancient trade routes of Palestine. I believe we should be celebrating that culture in this place and not banning it.

The ban on the kaffiyeh in this House, in my opinion, only contributes to the rise of dehumanization, polarization and hatred that we are seeing. It divides us, precisely at the moment when we should be doing everything among all of us to bring our people together in the broader cause of peace.

I am not Palestinian; that’s true. But when the civil liberties of Canadians are under threat, I believe it impacts every single person in this building. It is a stain on the fabric of this House. We can, together, remove that stain if we stop the banning of kaffiyehs in this place, and I encourage us to do it right away.