Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada. It is a time to commemorate all the achievements and contributions Asian-Canadians have made to this country. However, spurred on by pandemic fears, anti-Asian racism continues to rise in Canada, including in Scarborough, where earlier this month a man was sent to the hospital after being assaulted at a restaurant, and graffiti was found outside the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.

Health  Madam Speaker, the pandemic has shone a light on systemic issues affecting long-term care facilities across the country. We have seen the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on those living and working in long-term care. We must do more to protect our most vulnerable. National standards of care for our seniors in Canada will ensure that regardless of where they live, all seniors will be treated with dignity.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, anti-Asian racism is on the rise. Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in hate crimes against the Asian population, from verbal abuse to harassment, culminating in the violence we witnessed in the U.S. last week. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the lives of Canadians, and racism is further increasing challenges faced by the Asian-Canadian community.

Health  Mr. Speaker, today marks one year since the World Health Organization designated COVID-19 a pandemic. Today, we are wearing white to remember those we have lost. While Canadians have been practising public health measures to keep each other safe, scientists around the world have been working non-stop to find vaccines.

Health  Mr. Speaker, our government is on track to receive a total of six million vaccines by the end of March, and this week we will be receiving our single largest Pfizer vaccine shipment to date. While all this is good news, we know there are a number of populations within Canada that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and are at a higher risk, so I ask the hon.

Health  Mr. Speaker, since day one, Canadian front-line workers have been unwavering in their support for vulnerable Canadians in the face of this pandemic, like the staff at Shepherd Village and Mon Sheong in my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt. Essential workers are rising to the challenge each day to keep our seniors safe and healthy.

Health  Mr. Speaker, today marks one year since the first COVID-19 case was identified in Canada. Since then, the virus has drastically changed our ways of life, as we have all taken unprecedented measures to stop the spread of the virus. Since the start of the pandemic, the federal government has been there to support the provinces and territories to combat the virus, especially in the harder hit provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as we continue to see a record-breaking number of cases in regions across Canada, I know that families in my community of Scarborough—Agincourt are concerned about the safety of their loved ones of all ages. Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced that 249,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Canada before the end of the year.

Multiculturalism  Mr. Speaker, every year people of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and other Asian heritage gather with their families to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival marks the end of autumn harvest, and families use this time to enjoy the fruits of their labour, give thanks to the gods and contemplate the full moon, believed to be a symbol of blessing and prosperity.

Infrastructure  Mr. Speaker, communities across Canada are benefiting from projects under the green municipal fund, a billion dollar program funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Cities are terrific partners in pioneering practical climate solutions.

Employment  Mr. Speaker, last year, Canada summer jobs created more than 70,000 opportunities for youth across Canada, with hundreds of small businesses and local organizations benefiting in Scarborough alone. In my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt, 242 summer jobs were created. The Canada summer jobs program creates valuable work experiences for youth across Canada, while helping them gain the skills and experience they need as they start their careers and successfully join the labour force.

Lunar New Year  Mr. Speaker, chuc mung nam moi. Saehae bok manui badeuseyo. Gong hey fat choy. San nihn faai lok. This past Saturday marked the beginning of lunar new year for Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean communities. It is a time in Canada and across the world to celebrate the Year of the Rat, which is sure to be a year filled with wealth and abundance.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, from the neighbourhoods of Wishing Well, Bamburgh Circle, L'Amoreaux, Steeles and Glendower, I want to thank the people of Scarborough—Agincourt for the honour of representing them once again. Shepherd Village is Toronto's largest not-for-profit seniors community and has been in my riding since 1961.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, Scarborough—Agincourt residents are concerned that women continue to work in part-time and precarious jobs with little opportunity to advance in their careers. My constituents desire equality and economic security for all Canadians, no matter what gender. Can the hon.

Hong Fook Mental Health Association  Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Hong Fook Mental Health Association, in my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt, for receiving the Advancing Minority Mental Health award from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. It is the first-ever agency outside the United States to receive this award, in recognition of its efforts to increase public awareness and to provide comprehensive mental health care for under-served minorities.