Madam Speaker, today is the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It is an occasion to remember, reflect and renew our commitment to the just cause of the Palestinian people.

On this day in 1947, the United Nations adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine, which has yet to be implemented. Millions of Palestinians have been deprived of their fundamental human rights. Millions are refugees, and a third of registered Palestinian refugees live in camps and need humanitarian assistance.

I call on Canada to stand up to its reputation as a defender of human rights and immediately take steps to implement its policies. I also call on Canada to join 138 other countries in recognizing the sovereign state of Palestine.