Hon. Marty Klyne: Honourable senators, with Senator Cordy’s retirement, I rise as the replacement sponsor of Bill C-232, the “Arab Heritage Month Act.” She kind of tricked me into this. She asked if I would read this speech for her because she wouldn’t be here. I turned and walked away, and she said, “Okay, now you’re the sponsor.” Thank you very much.

This is a House of Commons private member’s bill to establish Arab heritage month every April, initiated by Ottawa South MP David McGuinty. Bill C-232 has the unanimous support of the other place, and the bill has been with us since March of last year. With our study now completed at the Social Affairs Committee, let’s get this important bill over the finish line.

I am confident that our friendly critic, Senator Ataullahjan, will speak to this bill with greater eloquence than yours truly. Therefore, in the concise words of former Senator Baker, I will be brief.

Colleagues, Canadians of Arab heritage have made immense contributions to our diverse and multicultural society. The first immigrants of Arab background arrived in Canada in 1882. The very first Arab immigrant who arrived in Canada 140 years ago was Ibrahim Bounader, who settled in Montreal.

The population of Arab Canadians now numbers over 1 million, and has increased by 75% since 2006. Over 90% of the Arab population in Canada lives in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, with Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa-Gatineau having the highest concentrations. Indeed, I have heard a rumour from my staff that the shawarma in Ottawa is the best in Canada. It has even been suggested that I specifically mention the family-run local favourite Shawarma Palace.

In an important development in the last decade, Canada was proud to welcome over 25,000 Syrian refugees over 100 days beginning in November 2015. Within a year, Saskatchewan had welcomed over 1,200 of our new neighbours. At the time, Premier Brad Wall said:

The bedrock of Saskatchewan can be found in our provincial motto, “From Many Peoples Strength”, which recognizes that diversity of background, experience and culture only makes us stronger . . . more than ever, we see the truth of this as we continue to extend the warmest of welcomes to these newcomers who are now our neighbours and friends.

Colleagues, I echo those sentiments. Arab immigration to Saskatchewan and the Prairies has resulted in rich contributions through the generations. One interesting example, which you can read about in Canada’s greatest newspapers, the Regina Leader Post and Saskatoon’s The Star Phoenix, is Habeeb Salloum’s 2017 cookbook, Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead, published by the University of Regina Press.

I know I’m focusing a little on food, so I must be hungry.

With over 200 recipes, from dumplings and lentil pies — lentils are a pulse crop, by the way — to zucchini mint soup, this cookbook is a tribute to Mr. Salloum’s parents, who left French-occupied Syria in the 1920s to seek a new life as pioneers on the prairies of Saskatchewan. I quote from a description of that book:

By growing “exotic” crops brought from their country of origin — such as lentils, chickpeas, and bulgur — the Salloums survived the Dust Bowl conditions of the 1930s, and helped change the landscape of Canadian farming.

Colleagues, as you may know, Canada is now the world’s leading producer and exporter of lentils, accounting for one third of the world’s crop, with 95% of production in Saskatchewan. You could say, in our great province of Saskatchewan, we have our fingers on the pulse.

I would love to tell you more about Arab Canadians’ contributions to my region. However, as I have taken this bill over from Senator Cordy, I would be remiss not to say a few words about Arab heritage in her province of Nova Scotia.

In Halifax, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 — a great place to visit, by the way — tells an interesting story:

In the north of Lebanon, 1,400 metres above sea level, there is a village called Diman. It’s small. There are 650-700 registered residents. You can walk from one corner to the other in around 20 minutes.

In the city of Halifax, by some estimates, there are as many people who originate or whose families originate from Diman as there are in the village itself. Perhaps even more surprising is how successful members of the community have been. Among them are business and community leaders, provincial and federal politicians, and some of the city’s most prominent real-estate developers. Halifax has a significant population of Lebanese Canadians- nearly four times the national average. The community in general, including families from Diman and surrounding villages, has had an outsized effect on the city of Halifax- its culture, food, street names, economy and skyline.

In 2018, a statue commemorating early Lebanese immigrants was unveiled in Halifax. It portrays a Lebanese traveller wearing traditional clothes. The plaque accompanying the statue reads:

This monument is a universal symbol of a proud, strong and globally united Lebanese community. The statue honours the early Lebanese settlers who, 130 years ago, established a presence in this country, sewing the bonds of loyalty, faith, and perseverance. We are thankful to our Nova Scotia community and for the enduring friendships built in our new home, Canada

Senators, this statue and plaque celebrate Canada’s Lebanese community, but the message is a universal one. It applies to all peoples from around the world who have come to our country looking for a better life for themselves and their families. Arab heritage month will be an important opportunity to reflect on a specific chapter of our Canadian story, which we will keep writing together.

In closing, I would like to thank MP David McGuinty for bringing this bill forward. I would also like to thank the Canadian Arab Institute for their role in this initiative. As MP McGuinty has noted, Arab heritage month will provide the opportunity and space for Arab Canadians to showcase their culture, their talents and why they are proud to be both Arab and Canadian, contributing to our communities on every level.

Colleagues, with your support, I am hopeful that we can see this bill pass and receive Royal Assent. Thank you. Hiy kitatamihin.