A private Liberal bill proclaiming April as Arab Heritage Month ignores “blatant anti-Palestinian racism that pervades society,” says a Liberal-appointed senator. “Take the recent uproar over the singing of an Arabic song during a Remembrance Day ceremony at an Ontario high school,” said Senator Yuen Pau Woo (B.C.).

“Let’s not do Arabs the dishonour of passing a bill in haste that willfully ignores the suffering of Arabs in Palestine and Lebanon and the silencing of Arab Canadians because of their views on the situation in Palestine,” Woo said in Third Reading debate. “I hope other honourable colleagues will join the debate and that we will take the time to reflect on what it means to celebrate Arab heritage in the face of Canada’s stance towards Palestinian Arabs and the blatant anti-Palestinian racism that pervades society.”

Bill C-232 An Act Respecting A