Hon. Amina Gerba: Honourable senators, I am speaking today from the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe in response to Senator Loffreda’s inquiry about the importance of immigration.
I would like to thank Senator Loffreda for this timely inquiry that is deeply rooted in this country’s present. It prompts us to re‑examine a truth too often ignored in public debate. His words remind us that immigration is not just one of many public policies. It lies at the very heart of the Canadian identity and the vision we all share.
[English]Immigration is not a footnote to our national story. It is a central chapter. It is the foundation of who we are and who we are still becoming.
[Translation]I would like to comment as both a senator and a first-generation immigrant. I was born in a tiny village in Cameroon, and I arrived in Canada exactly 40 years ago, accompanying my husband, who was then a Canadian International Development Agency scholar.
I came here driven by the desire to build a better life for our family. Like so many other Canadians, we had to start from scratch. We had to understand our new environment, learn the rules and prove ourselves day after day.
Nothing was given to us. We built everything ourselves, but this country offered us something essential: a real opportunity to grow, to dare, to build.
[English]Canada did not guarantee success. What it offered to us was far more powerful: a fair chance to build, to contribute and to belong.
[Translation]My journey was nothing unusual. It’s part of a collective history shared by millions of people who chose, before me and with me, to build a future for themselves here and contribute all they had to offer to this country.
Honourable senators, as I mentioned during the second reading of Bill S-215, with the exception of Indigenous Peoples, who have lived on these lands since time immemorial, we all share practically the same immigration story. This shared reality deserves to be recognized, accepted and handed down. Canada was built and is still being built by women and men who came here from other countries, filled with courage, resilience and hope.
At a time when insular and divisive discourse is gaining ground around the world, we have a responsibility as parliamentarians to clearly reiterate that immigration is an asset to Canada when combined with accommodation, integration and recognition policies that live up to our values.
[English]Inclusion is not naive. Inclusion is not weakness. Inclusion is nation-building, and, in today’s world, it is a strategic strength.
[Translation]Recognizing the importance of immigration does not mean denying the challenges it may present. On the contrary, it involves choosing to respond to these challenges lucidly, responsibly and compassionately, without ever forgetting what immigration has helped to build and what it continues to contribute to our country.
Economically speaking, the facts are clear: Immigration supports our growth, addresses sector-specific labour shortages and drives innovation. Demographically speaking, immigration has become essential given our aging population. Socially speaking, immigration enriches our communities by bringing diversity, creativity and an openness to the world.
Senator Loffreda rightly pointed out some examples of outstanding entrepreneurs. These stories show that immigrants are not just participants in our economy. They are helping to build it.
We often celebrate great Canadian icons without always remembering that they came here through immigration. Take Michaëlle Jean, who came to Canada as a refugee from Haiti and went on to become Governor General. She is the perfect example of how our institutions can recognize the highest level of commitment, talent and service. Another example is Dany Laferrière, who also came from Haiti and became one of Canada’s greatest writers and a member of the Académie française. His work has put Canadian literature on the map.
Consider the very foundations of the knowledge economy. Canada is now a world leader in AI thanks to researchers like Geoffrey Hinton, an immigrant and Nobel laureate, and Yoshua Bengio, a Turing Award winner who comes from an immigrant family. The work of both of these men has shaped modern AI.
Another person who comes to mind is Abdoulaye Baniré Diallo, a professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal who is originally from West Africa and whose work in bioinformatics and AI directly contributes to the advancement of scientific research, responsible innovation and discussions on the governance of AI in Canada and around the world.
Economically speaking, there are entrepreneurs like German-born Tobias Lütke who are building world-class companies in Canada. His company Shopify supports millions of small businesses internationally.
We recognize these women and men as great Canadians, and rightly so, but their stories also remind us of a fundamental truth: Immigration is at the heart of Canada’s success.
[English]Immigration does not weaken Canada’s success. It strengthens Canada. It helps Canada grow and ensures its long-term sustainability.
[Translation]By supporting Senator Loffreda’s inquiry, we are sending a clear message that Canada thrives because it welcomes people, because it integrates them and because it believes in the contributions made by those who choose to build their future here.
[English]By supporting this inquiry, we affirm a simple truth: In Canada, your origins do not define your destiny. Everyone has a place, a voice and the opportunity to leave a lasting mark on our shared country and history.
[Translation]Honourable senators, it’s now up to us to live up to this promise and to ensure that it remains a reality for those who choose Canada. Thank you for your attention.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!