THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Wednesday, November 23, 2022
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met with videoconference this day at 4 p.m. [ET] to study Bill S-246, An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month.
Senator Ratna Omidvar (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: My name is Ratna Omidvar. I am an independent senator from Ontario and chair of this committee.
Before I go around the table to introduce my colleagues to the witnesses, I would indicate that we have a time issue. We must leave this room by 5:45 so that the next committee can occupy this room. They are doing a lengthy clause by clause on Bill C-11. We also have time considerations from MP Lena Diab, as she must leave by five o’clock as well. Please keep this in consideration as we move through this. It is our plan to hear from the witnesses, move to clause by clause and be done by 5:45, so let’s keep that in mind.
I will ask my colleagues to introduce themselves, starting with Deputy Chair Senator Bovey.
Senator Bovey: Patricia Bovey, Manitoba.
Senator Kutcher: Stan Kutcher, Nova Scotia.
[Translation]
Senator Petitclerc: Chantal Petitclerc from Quebec.
[English]
Senator McPhedran: Marilou McPhedran, Manitoba.
Senator M. Deacon: Marty Deacon, Ontario.
Senator Dasko: Donna Dasko, Ontario.
Senator Martin: Yonah Martin, British Columbia.
The Chair: Witnesses, please introduce yourselves.
Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West: Lena Metlege Diab, from Nova Scotia.
Hon. Jane Cordy, sponsor of the bill: Jane Cordy, senator from Nova Scotia and member of the committee.
Wadih Fares, Honourary Consul of Lebanon in Halifax: Wadih Fares, from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Chair: Thank you. I will now invite the witnesses to provide their opening remarks. I remind you that you have five minutes for your opening statements, to be followed by questions from our members.
Senator Cordy: Good afternoon, senators. As a regular member of this committee, or almost regular, taking the place of Senator Bernard, I know that the committee is very busy and always busy no matter what time of the year it is. I am grateful for your timely consideration of this bill. It’s not very often that I find myself at this end of the table, and it’s certainly always an interesting experience to be here as a witness wondering what questions you would like to ask.
I recognize, senators, that we’re meeting today on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe people.
Honourable colleagues, it is my pleasure to be before you as the sponsor of Bill S-246, An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month. It is also an honour to be on a panel with MP Diab, who is a former Minister of Justice, Attorney General and Minister of Immigration in Nova Scotia and a very active member of the Lebanese community in Nova Scotia, as well as Honourary Consul Fares, who continues to make an outstanding contribution to the people of Nova Scotia.
As the preamble to the bill states, Lebanese Canadians have, for generations, made significant social, economic, cultural, religious, military, philanthropic and political contributions to our social fabric and to the strength, resiliency and diversity of our communities in Canada. Bill S-246 aims to recognize and celebrate these experiences and contributions.
It is fitting that we are here today to consider this bill as yesterday, November 22, was Lebanese Independence Day. This day is celebrated by Lebanese people around the world in solidarity with the people of Lebanon who gained independence in November of 1943. In celebration of Lebanese Independence Day and in recognition of the strong Lebanese community in my province, the city of Halifax held a flag raising celebration in front of city hall yesterday. Nova Scotia and Ontario were the first provinces to officially recognize and celebrate Lebanese Heritage Month in Canada. With the passage of this bill, Canada will follow suit.
Colleagues, for generations, Lebanese immigrants have chosen to make Canada their home. Their story is not dissimilar from countless other peoples who left their homelands in order to forge a better life for themselves and provide better opportunities for their families here in Canada.
There is a reason why we see bills such as this one, and it reflects directly on why our country is so strong. Canada is a mosaic of cultures and peoples who have contributed to making Canada what we know and enjoy today. Our strength comes from our rich diversity. Passing a bill to recognize and celebrate the contributions of those who make Canada their home is important.
As Senator Housakos stated in his speech:
. . . the reality of the matter is that Canada is essentially strong because of all the sums of all our parts.
Honourable senators, I know that my fellow panellists, MP Diab and Honourary Consul Fares, are only here for a limited time, so I will conclude my remarks here. Thank you again for your consideration.
Ms. Diab: Good afternoon, senators.
Let me recognize that we’re meeting on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people.
Let me also begin by saying how grateful and privileged I feel to appear before you today as you consider Bill S-246, An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month.
I want to sincerely thank Senator Cordy for sponsoring this bill and working with me. Thank you as well to both Senator Simons and Senator Housakos for their interventions. All the remarks were heartfelt, warm and accurate. I was able to attend and listen to all three, and I truly appreciated their reflections on the history and impact of Lebanese people in Canada.
Thank you to all the senators from across the country who have spoken to me since this bill was introduced here in the Senate recognizing the value of this designation to the communities in their regions. It reminds me how the Lebanese community is spread all across this vast and beautiful country. I know as well that this bill has sparked you to search out and connect with your own Lebanese-Canadian communities.
[Translation]
For those who don’t know me, I was elected in 2021 in the riding of Halifax West.
[English]
Prior to that, I served eight years as a cabinet minister in Nova Scotia, holding a number of portfolios. Prior to politics, I was a small business owner and spent over 20 years practising law.
[Translation]
I am a daughter of first-generation immigrants.
[English]
I am the oldest of six children. I was born in Halifax, but I spent my very young years in Lebanon and saw the devastation of war firsthand, causing my family to return in 1976.
Across Canada, a relatively small group of Lebanese Canadians has made mighty contributions to Canada in arts, culture, politics, business, education, philanthropy, military and so much more. While I can’t run you through them all, I want to make a key point: By passing this bill, you would be moving the spotlight directly onto the Lebanese-Canadian community so that each November, its leaders and many more people can tell the story of our people, deepening the appreciation amongst all Canadians.
Senator Housakos rightly made note of the various days and months we have in Canada honouring different groups and people, and there are many. I offer to you that the statement “the more, the merrier” applies here. We all appreciate that designating heritage months is not a partisan endeavour. Canadians get why we do this. We are so proud of each and every patch in the quilt of Canadian multiculturalism. The more we can celebrate each other, the more we learn about each other, the more understanding between people, the stronger and more united we are as citizens. It is part of our wonderful pluralistic identity, and it shows we care about each other as people. It enriches us.
Personally, I don’t like to be left out. I don’t think anyone does. This ensures our community is not left out by building upon what the provinces of Nova Scotia and Ontario have already recognized. I introduced a version of this bill in Parliament earlier this year precisely for the reason that national recognition is even more significant. It gives all Canadians a reason to learn and celebrate. Yesterday, as Senator Cordy said, we had a celebration for Lebanese Independence Day here on the Hill. Actually, we had one in Halifax over the weekend, but we had it here last night. My hope is that next year it will be bigger and more joyous, anchored by the bill’s passage, and hopefully raising the flag.
Let me take this opportunity to also tell you more about the Lebanese presence and vitality in my corner of the country. I started volunteering in my community at 15 years old, before Halifax had a multicultural festival, but I was proud to help lead the development of that first iteration as the president of the Multicultural Youth of Nova Scotia Association, and I’m going to add that that was before the Canadian Multiculturalism Act was passed.
Our Lebanese community has had a formal organization since 1938, when the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax was founded by Edward Francis Arab. Lieutenant Arab was a true trailblazer in Halifax. In 2021, the Province of Nova Scotia dedicated the annual Heritage Day in honour of his memory and legacy. He was born in 1915 to two of the first Lebanese immigrants to Halifax in the 1890s. Ultimately, he gave his life for his country in World War II.
I will conclude by saying I am happy to answer any questions about his legacy, the Canadian Lebanon Society or any other questions you have. Thank you.
The Chair: Thank you very much, MP Diab.
Mr. Fares: Good afternoon, esteemed and honourable ladies and gentlemen of the standing committee. As I mentioned, my name is Wadih Fares, and I am honoured to be here today in support of Bill S-246.
I came to Canada in 1976 at the onset of Lebanon’s civil war and have lived in Halifax since. Coming as a student with nothing but my mother’s prayers and the will to make a good life in a new country, I was welcomed by the Lebanese community, whose roots have been here since the late 1800s. Most of them came from humble beginnings and, in some cases, difficult conditions. But over the years, they have achieved considerable success. I have seen our community thrive and raise leaders in industry, technology, politics and education. We have done this while holding true to our Lebanese identity, our strong sense of community and our love for both Lebanon and Canada.
These achievements have been recognized, as was said, by the provinces of Nova Scotia and Ontario, both proclaiming November as Lebanese Heritage Month. We are proud of this recognition, but it is not the sense of pride; it is the sense of understanding, and the best way to understand and celebrate the diverse cultures in our country is by knowing their heritage and their stories.
I am here advocating for my Lebanese heritage. We want to share and celebrate who we are and our success story. I think we can, and we should be a community that newcomers look up to so they too can recognize and appreciate the immense opportunities that this great country has to offer.
When Nova Scotia declared November as Lebanese Heritage Month, it had a positive impact on our community. It showed that we are seen and we are valued and, in turn, it created a stronger partnership between our community and the province. Our culture and heritage are woven into the fabric of Nova Scotia, making the province stronger and more diverse, and I believe that a national Lebanese heritage month will have the same yet even broader-reaching impact.
I will conclude on a personal note. In 2012, I was privileged to receive the highest honour bestowed on a Canadian citizen, the Order of Canada. I believe the reason behind my nomination was that I made it my daily mission to give back to society. I do so for the deep sense of gratitude and love that I have for Canada and the people who helped me along the way. Through my journey, I have become a person to whom the younger generation looks up to, especially the Lebanese newcomers. They know my story: The story of an 18-year-old kid who came to study in Nova Scotia with very little but, with the support and love of a community and the strong desire to succeed, would one day receive the Order of Canada. Hearing my story, they know that they are valued here. They know that they too can make a difference. These success stories are rooted in communities throughout this great nation of ours. They should be celebrated and they should be told, as they promote inclusion and understanding. Valuing our heritage and knowing our story is at the heart of what makes Canada our home.
Thank you for your consideration.
The Chair: Thank you very much.
We now go to questions from the senators. There are five minutes per senator for question and answer. We will start with the deputy chair of the committee, Senator Bovey.
Senator Bovey: I would like to thank all our witnesses.
Senator Cordy, I’m so delighted that you’re sponsoring this bill, and I am in full support of Lebanese heritage month. I call this cultural diplomacy at home, and my colleagues certainly know how important cultural diplomacy is to me. It’s really important in this case because the Lebanese are really important in Canada’s overall fabric, their arts, lifestyle, dress, particularly food, and more.
My question is to all three of you. Looking at the Lebanese population across Canada, how would you want this special month to be celebrated across Canada, and what forms of Lebanese cultural expression rise to the fore for you here as you continue to develop the depth of understanding of your cultural roots and the partnerships you have developed and want to develop across Canada?
Ms. Diab: Would you mind if I let Honourary Consul Fares represent the Atlantic provinces?
Senator Bovey: This is for anybody.
Mr. Fares: I can start by answering that. Thank you, senator.
There are many ways we can demonstrate and promote our culture and be effective and have an impact in Canada. We are doing this today on a smaller scale community by community throughout Canada, and I believe national Lebanese heritage month will bring in the big guns. Through help from the federal government, as we get help from the provincial governments, we could start in schools during that month. There is already research done by educators of Lebanese origin that can be added and made available for distribution.
During that month, we can have what I call a hamburger week where every hamburger joint makes something so we could promote our food across the nation. There are a lot of ways this recognition will bring our community together to celebrate our culture in one month. It will be more effective and give more impact. As I said in my introduction, the success stories should be told, and we can probably take advantage of that month and the media could come into play and we can tell the success stories so that younger generations will be informed. It’s very important for the younger generation to know that nothing comes easy. Even if you start in very difficult conditions, in the great country we have, the opportunities are there, and that is why we’re here.
Senator Bovey: Thank you.
Ms. Diab: That’s exactly true, and I will give the example of Nova Scotia. We started in 2018 when the Nova Scotia legislature proclaimed November as Lebanese Heritage Month. We started after that. Now it has been a few years. This month, for example, in Nova Scotia we have raised the flag. We have come together.
We have brought the Lebanese film festival to Halifax, Nova Scotia. I don’t know if you’re aware, but that goes to Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and somewhere in Alberta as well, probably to Calgary or Edmonton. It now comes in November to our province. The Chamber of Commerce also did a wine and food event. The Canadian Lebanon Society, this Saturday night actually, is doing a large event. They are bringing in people from Yarmouth, from Cape Breton, from the different parts of Nova Scotia to talk about their Lebanese ancestors. Some people don’t even speak the language anymore; many don’t. We do that on a Nova Scotia level. Just imagine how it would be if every province could do that. Other provinces don’t do it because there is no event; they don’t have a month or a day. It would be terrific to do that across Canada. To be frank with you, even raising the flag here on Parliament Hill — do you know how significant that would be? That one sentimental symbol of democracy?
Senator Cordy: It creates a focus. Suddenly, in November, you can have a barrage of things all related to Lebanese heritage, in this case, for people in the community. MP Diab gave an example of things that are happening. When this is happening at the same time in a concentrated form across the country, people take notice. The media takes notice. It almost breeds more publicity as it goes along. I know it was music to your ears, Senator Bovey, to hear the words “cultural diplomacy” and how important that is. That certainly would come into play when you make the focus for one month and knowing how important the month of November is in the history of the Lebanese people.
Senator McPhedran: I am actually fascinated by what I’m assuming is a strategy, but I will raise it as a question. You introduced your bill on the House of Commons side. As I understand it, it’s still there. First reading has occurred, but there is not a clear path at this point for you to take it further into discussion on the floor. Now we have Senator Cordy introducing this bill. Are they identical? How do you see this working if there is a faster pathway through the Senate, as it would seem there will be?
Ms. Diab: Senators, I have only been in Parliament for a year now. When I introduced it, I had only been there for a few months. I did it because it’s something that has driven me now, at my age, for over five and a half decades, since the age of 15. For a good 40-plus years, I have been volunteering, working in the community, not just Lebanese but in all communities. I deeply believe in our multiculturalism. I deeply believe in it and value it.
When I introduced the bill, I didn’t realize the technicalities. I really did not understand all of that. I did understand that, in order for the bill to pass, you have to go to Parliament and to the Senate. I see this as working in partnership, to be honest. Hopefully, most bills should go like that, but we all know the truth is they don’t. However, this is not a contentious bill. In fact, all parliamentarians would support this. Sometimes the rules, I guess, are such that you don’t really understand them and you don’t know how it ends, so I asked Senator Cordy, who also deeply values multiculturalism and values the diversity of people and cultures. She knows the Lebanese community.
Is there anything else to expand on that, senator? I’m not sure what else to say.
Senator McPhedran: I should maybe hone my question a little bit. What do you anticipate happening if, indeed, Senator Cordy’s bill moves smoothly through the Senate and arrives in the House of Commons? My question is to both you and to the sponsor.
Senator Cordy: We had this discussion. We’ve known one another long before each of us were involved in politics in the Senate or as an MLA or an MP. We just started meeting as regularly as one can with the schedules that we have in Ottawa. She was telling me about her bill. I said, “Maybe I can bring a similar one in the Senate. If mine goes through faster — it’s a sort of a joint effort — then you can sponsor it when it gets to the House of Commons.” That is what we did because we both had the same feelings about how important multicultural bills and activities are to all of us, because they make us all better.
Senator McPhedran: Are the bills identical?
Ms. Diab: They are very similar. The ultimate goal is to make Lebanese heritage month in November.
Senator McPhedran: But the wording is not identical?
Senator Cordy: I would have to go back over them. It’s been a while.
Ms. Diab: I would say not 100%. I don’t know, to be honest.
Senator McPhedran: And you’re not anticipating procedural rulings?
Ms. Diab: No. I will add that I did a lot of homework. I actually asked a lot in the Clerk’s office. I did all my homework on the different avenues, and they suggested this, and so we’re here today.
Senator McPhedran: Thank you.
Senator Kutcher: Thank you very much to our witnesses for being here.
Clearly, I support this bill. I want to acknowledge that I’ve had the privilege to visit Lebanon a number of times, working to catalyze improvements in mental health care. I can certainly attest to the rich history, the beauty and the promise and, sadly, the challenges of that incredible country.
Now, heritage often brings to mind arts and culture, and those are very important things, but I don’t want to miss two other very important issues. I would like Mr. Fares and Ms. Diab to talk about the contributions of the Lebanese community economically and civically, which are two huge contributions we tend to overlook if we just focus on arts and culture. Could you say a little bit about that? I know that Mr. Fares has some interest and understanding of the economic developments and, Ms. Diab, you of the civic, for sure.
Mr. Fares: Obviously, our economic impact in Nova Scotia is real. Our political leaders always speak about how we built Halifax, that our developers built Halifax. The cranes in the sky above Halifax at one point were called the Lebanese birds. Obviously, in the construction industry and the development industry, probably most developers are of Lebanese origin. That’s a tremendous impact. At one point, the City of Halifax did an economic impact report on the Lebanese community. They found that every Lebanese person in Nova Scotia accounts for four and a half jobs. That is a huge impact on our economy.
It’s not only in Nova Scotia. In other areas — Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary — I know a lot of Lebanese business people. They are doing great things. There are success stories everywhere. There is not much to add to this, except, with all humbleness, I believe that the Lebanese community has made a huge impact on the economies of our provinces and our country. We are proud to be able to do that.
Ms. Diab: My assistant just googled and gave me this. There are so many articles, but this is one example: “It takes a Lebanese village to raise Halifax’s skyline,” The Globe and Mail, November 25, 2013. That is one of numerous articles that talk about economic impact.
You also asked about civic impact. I can tell you that it doesn’t matter the age. The kids start in the preschool, dancing and showing their dances. They learn how to do the dance routines. They show them in their schools on a multicultural day, as an example. They bring food that they might cook at home and show that in their classrooms. They have been doing that for decades, and they still are. It starts from a very young age. Like I said, I started at the age of 15. My kids did the same, and I now have grandchildren who are doing it as well.
In terms of politics, they didn’t enter politics in the beginning. It took a long time. When I became the immigration minister in 2013 and went into politics, there were not a lot of visible minorities certainly in Nova Scotia. It took time for that. But they have had remarkable achievements on the provincial scene and the federal scene now. You have had senators who have come from the Lebanese community.
Let’s not forget those who have died for the country. They have served in war. The ambassador just last night commented about the hockey game and a Lebanese was inducted — some kind of game just this past week. I don’t watch hockey, I’m sorry. They are watching soccer as we speak, I am sure.
We can go on, but I think that’s fair.
Senator Cordy: All we have to do is look at Mr. Fares himself who has received the Order of Canada for the work he has done in economic development in Nova Scotia. It’s not just economic development; it’s also people who are on community boards and heavily involved in charities and all the contributions they have made in that sense to not only the people of Nova Scotia but to the people of Canada.
[Translation]
Senator Petitclerc: I will ask my question in French. Obviously, I support this bill. Based on my perception of these types of bills, I see them as tools for groups, for organizations, for schools and for individuals; tools to come together and celebrate a common heritage — in this case, a Lebanese heritage.
Do you think it is also important to come together to celebrate and recognize this heritage? Is it also important, in your opinion, to make others learn about it, those who are not familiar with this heritage, who do not know much about it? Is it also about the opportunity to open up and let people learn about this heritage?
Ms. Diab: Thank you, senator, for asking that very good question. That is exactly the case. Not only people who are not Lebanese can learn about this heritage.
It’s very important for everyone, but it’s also important for our children, our grandchildren, and for people who are older than me and who didn’t grow up in Lebanon, who have not visited Lebanon. I can tell you that — and this is probably the case for many people who come from other countries — the first time I was president of the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax, in 1993, I visited some people older than me who were the first to arrive in the country.
At that time, when they arrived, many of them lost their language and worked hard to blend in. They became very anglicized. I’m talking about Nova Scotia, but the same thing probably happened elsewhere. It was embarrassing back then. A lot of people lost their culture, really.
Now, thanks to Lebanese Heritage Month, in Nova Scotia, we have found a lot of people with a Lebanese heritage across Nova Scotia. They came here and wrote newspaper articles about their grandparents’ stories. They live all over Nova Scotia and now those parts of the province are enriched by those stories. It’s for everyone.
Senator Petitclerc: So it is about rediscovering this heritage and reclaiming it.
[English]
Senator Cordy: I love the way you phrased it: This bill is a tool to bring people together. Maybe I’ll use that in my speech at third reading. That’s actually what it is. It is a tool to not only show and display your heritage but also for other people to learn. Both are very important.
Mr. Fares: That is the most important thing. We are a multicultural country, and I think we can be a stronger and better country if we know each other better.
The Chair: That is a wonderful way of putting it: getting to know each other better.
Senator Martin: Thank you for your testimonies.
I, too, am supportive of this bill. I think a month recognizing the Lebanese community and its contributions to Canada, and to be able to celebrate, is very important.
I have a question about something that has come to my attention. Currently in the House, there is another bill, Bill C-232, An Act respecting Arab Heritage Month. It’s at committee in the House. I’m curious if it is the same month, and if so, with the Lebanese being the larger group within the greater Arab community of the diaspora, how will Lebanese heritage month interface? I’m quite curious about this other bill. I don’t know whether it’s also the month of November and how that will interact and interface.
Ms. Diab: No. I can speak a bit on the bill because I spoke to the sponsor of that bill before he even brought it on. I got to meet him before he brought it on. It’s for April. I spoke to him quite a bit in terms of the precipitation for bringing it in and the purpose for it. He tells me that there is one in the United States as well, and that’s April so he used April. For him, though, it was Arab as opposed to a country, so it is different. I don’t know if Mr. Fares would like to comment more. I will simply say it is different. We’re here to recognize the country itself and the people from Lebanon.
Mr. Fares: I know that Lebanon is considered part of the Arab region because our official language is Arabic and French also. However, Lebanon’s origin goes back to the Phoenicians. It’s much different than the rest of the Arab world, so our culture is a bit different. I know the region; I know the Arab countries around us. I am familiar with them. They have their own culture; we have our own. If you follow politics and that, Lebanon is the only country in the Arab world that is governed by a Christian president. Lebanon is different than the rest of the Arab world. It doesn’t matter what month Arab heritage month becomes. Lebanese heritage is different, and there are different values in there. We will have our own impact in our country, Canada.
The Chair: Mr. Fares, there is time for me to ask a few questions, but before I do that, let me comment that this committee is the Social Affairs Committee, and most of the time we’re dealing with the problems in society. It is so refreshing to be dealing with celebration. It is a welcome change.
My question is about the diaspora. I understand there are between 200,000 and 400,000 Lebanese who live in Canada. Is this the largest Lebanese diaspora in the world, or is there a larger one somewhere else?
Ms. Diab: I’ll comment, and then I’ll let Mr. Fares comment because he will know a lot more than I do. I will simply say the number that you have, because we looked at it, is the self-proclaimed people that say they are Lebanese on those forms. I tried to explain in English, but we have lost a lot of people through assimilation, through prejudice, through the fact that they had to hide that they were different, and who came here earlier, to be frank with you. I know, because there are a lot of their grandchildren my age who never used to even say they are Lebanese because of what their parents and grandparents endured when they first came to Canada. I’m sure they may not identify as that. We believe there are more in terms of Canada, but in terms of other parts of the world, the Lebanese diaspora is on every continent. I will let Mr. Fares speak to that, because he would have a lot more on that. We have millions everywhere.
Mr. Fares: Let me start by saying it’s not the quantity; it’s the quality. We are around 400,000 in Canada. We are a small community compared to the United States, Mexico and Australia. If you go to Latin America, there are around 7 million or 8 million Lebanese. The diaspora of Lebanon is around 11 million or 12 million people, and the population of Lebanon is around 4 million, not counting the refugees, which is around 2 million. We are a good-size community. We are not the largest in the world, but, as I said, it’s the quality that makes the difference here.
The Chair: Thank you, Mr. Fares.
On that point, I have another question. Just as 400,000-plus Lebanese live in Canada, there are about 40,000 to 75,000 Canadians who live in Lebanon. Are they Canadians who were born in Lebanon and are living in Lebanon, or is there a different demographic there?
Ms. Diab: I wouldn’t know the answer to that.
Mr. Fares: There are no stats on that. I would say that probably the majority are Lebanese-born, with Canadian citizenship.
Senator M. Deacon: Thank you all for being here today.
I had the opportunity to go to Lebanon, and I enjoyed myself immensely. I’m thinking about the comments and the questions I’ve heard this afternoon and the tool that this does provide. What is it that you’re most proud of, of Lebanon, and that you want Canadians to know and understand that either is unique to you or your country of Lebanon?
Mr. Fares: That’s a good question.
We have a very successful community throughout Canada in business, and socially also. We have contributed tremendously to the fabric of Canada socially and economically with the entrepreneurial spirit that we have. I know from Halifax and from Nova Scotia, when I started in business here, Canadian-born were different and doing business differently. Now they are almost better than us. They learned from us. I believe that a lot of Canadians and Nova Scotians look up to the Lebanese community. I have people coming to my office many times from different ethnic groups. They say, “Please tell us, how did you guys become who you are and what you are?”
I say this very humbly. We have certain values that people really appreciate, and they want to know what it is. The former Nova Scotia premier Stephen McNeil came to me and said, “I want to go to Lebanon to understand how you guys do what you do.” Sure enough, he went to Lebanon, and I went with him.
I can’t really explain it more than this. It seems as if we have something. Probably the water that we drink. I don’t know.
Ms. Diab: I’ll add to that as well. It’s family and community, but it is the resiliency of the Lebanese people as well. I think it’s so important here in Canada. It’s the fact that we have come from such humble beginnings. Many have struggled to survive. If you haven’t, your parents or your grandparents did. Yet, you have survived. Quite frankly, it represents the country of Lebanon that throughout its history has struggled from wars, famine, hunger, everything you can imagine, and what is going on still today in such dire straits. But it still wants to survive.
I do talk to my kids. My kids now are all adults, over 18, 19. I now have four grandchildren and another one on the way. I start with the grandchildren too. I believe in that. I was principal volunteer of a Lebanese heritage school for many years. With these little kids, that’s where you start so that they understand that life has hardships, no matter who you are or where you come from. When you understand what your people have gone through, I think it helps you to endure what life is going to bring you. It’s pretty important as females now, me sitting here. I remember my dad, who passed away. If it wasn’t for him and my mother pushing us five girls to go to school and learn — that type of education is very important to Lebanese people. It’s also education so that you can survive.
There are a lot of lessons. We see ourselves kind of like the cedar tree. No matter how much the wind blows you, you try to stay strong and resilient. I think that’s an important lesson for everyone in life. It’s more than just food. Everybody loves the food and the dancing and the music and everything else, but it’s the fabric. This is what we would like to share with everyone as well.
Senator Dasko: Where is the largest Lebanese community in Canada? Is it in Toronto?
Mr. Fares: Montreal.
Senator Dasko: And Toronto would be? Being a Toronto senator, I like to know these things.
Mr. Fares: Probably second.
Ms. Diab: Probably, yes. I’m sure it would be.
Senator Dasko: Just as a point of clarification, we heard the numbers 200,000 and 400,000 Canadians of Lebanese origin.
Mr. Fares: Around 400,000.
Senator Dasko: Around 400,000.
Mr. Fares: Yes.
Senator Dasko: Thank you.
The Chair: Please remember that we’re coming to almost the time when MP Diab has to leave.
Senator Bovey: This is just a concluding comment. You mentioned the cedars of Lebanon. We have cedars in British Columbia. You talked about understanding and connection, and I would hope that maybe the children in the schools in British Columbia can talk about their cedar trees and the cedars of Lebanon. Let’s draw some of those connections.
The Chair: I think this is going to be the final question, and let me try and put it to you, MP Diab. You’ve talked about the struggles your country has faced historically and continues to face. Life is not easy for the Lebanese — politically, economically, socially — I’m sure. Do you believe that a month-long celebration in Canada of Lebanese heritage will in one way or another secure to some extent — to some minor extent — the prosperity of your home country?
Ms. Diab: Thank you for that question.
I do, and I’ll tell you why. I’m going to cry. Just on the weekend, I got a call. I answered it. I normally don’t answer when it’s on the WhatsApp. They put a WhatsApp on my phone, and I don’t usually know. Something rang, and I answered it, and it was from somebody in Lebanon. They asked me to please go in front of something before the holidays and just send them a message so that people there in Lebanon who are desperate — they were collecting $10; what’s $10? — can be fed, kids can be given something this time of year and people in those dire straits can know that they have a diaspora out there that cares and is thinking of them. Celebrating Lebanon here gives them hope that they will come back again. For some people, these symbolisms are all they have. That’s all the hope they have. They do make a big difference. It’s not just the Lebanese community. I say that it doesn’t matter who the community is, but in this particular example, that’s what we’re talking about. So it does. It makes a big difference. What you’re doing today, to be quite frank, will really contribute a lot to that. Just your understanding and the comments you have shared today really makes a big difference to people who are suffering and just want to know that there are people out there that care.
The Chair: Thank you, witnesses. You have helped us a great deal in understanding your motivation and the impact of this bill. Senators, this brings us to the end of this panel. Thank you to all our witnesses. Senator Cordy, of course, you may want to stay.
We will now proceed with clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.
Before we begin, I would like to remind senators of a number of points. If at any point a senator is not clear where we are in the process, please ask for clarification. I want to always ensure that we are all on the same page at the same time.
As chair, I will do my best to ensure that all senators wishing to speak have the opportunity to do so. For this, however, I must depend on your cooperation, and I ask all of you to consider other senators and keep your remarks to the point and as brief as you can.
Finally, I wish to remind honourable senators that if there is ever any uncertainty as to the results of a voice vote or a show of hands, the most effective route is to request a roll call vote, which obviously provides unambiguous results. Senators are aware that any tied vote negates the motion in question.
Are there any questions on any of the above? I suspect, since this is a completely different kind of bill, none of this will apply. Let’s proceed to clause-by-clause.
Colleagues, is it agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-246, an Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month? Great.
Shall the title stay postponed?
Shall clause one carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 2 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the title carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the bill carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed
The Chair: Does the committee wish to consider appending observations to the report? Is it agreed that I report this bill to the Senate?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you, colleagues. Congratulations, Senator Cordy.
With this, there being no other business, this meeting stands adjourned.
(The committee adjourned.)