Kelly McCauley

Mr. Speaker, Greeting · 7 wordsI am pleased to rise on this.Greeting Procedure · 13 wordsI want to start by mentioning two historic Arab Albertans involved in politics.Procedure Thanks · 12 wordsThe first is my very dear friend, whom I call my brother.Thanks Claims · 105 wordsHe is the member for Edmonton Manning. My friend was the very first Lebanese MP ever elected in the province of Alberta.¹ Besides his being a phenomenal representative of the people, I have come to know his family very well. It is an incredible family. My dear friend also donated one of his vital organs to help save his son’s life, which is further proof of what a fine gentleman he is. One of his sons later worked for me on a couple of my campaigns and did a phenomenal job, and then moved on to help out the provincial party in Alberta as well. Thanks · 21 wordsIf I could find an Arab politician to live up to my colleague from Edmonton Manning, it would be Larry Shaben.Thanks Claims · 57 wordsLarry Shaben was the very first Muslim elected to higher office in North America.² That was in Alberta. He was also the very first to serve as a provincial minister in Canada, even when compared to, perhaps, the equivalent in the U.S. He served as a minister under the great Peter Lougheed, ³as well as Don Getty. Procedure · 16 wordsI want to read a quote from Peter Lougheed about Larry Shaben, at Mr. Shaben’s funeral: ProcedureClaims · 28 words“We all know how much better we are because we knew Larry Shaben. We all know how much better Alberta as a whole is because of Larry Shaben.” Thanks · 65 wordsI cannot think of a better tribute from one of the greatest Albertans ever to one of the other greatest Albertans than the one Mr. Lougheed made to Mr. Shaben. I wanted to bring that up. I know that my colleague from Edmonton Manning, whom I would like to call by his name but I will not, will live up to Mr. Shaben as well.Thanks Claims · 61 wordsThe very first Arab recorded in Alberta was in 1912, known as Ali Ahmed Abouchadi, who was also from Lebanon.⁴ He and his uncle, Sine Abouchadi, moved from Lebanon and settled in Lac La Biche, which is now, I think, probably the largest Arab community in the entire world and the largest Lebanese community in the entire world, including Lebanon itself. Anecdote · 18 wordsIt is a phenomenal community north of Edmonton that I have had the pleasure of visiting many times.Anecdote Claims · 6 wordsIt still maintains incredible Lebanese culture. Procedure · 51 wordsI also want to talk about a couple of friends of mine from Edmonton. As my colleague mentioned, we could spend all day talking about contributions from the Arab community in Canada, but I want to mention a couple of dear friends of mine whom I have known for many years.Procedure Claims · 8 wordsThe first is my office manager, Oula Sanduga. Aside · 29 wordsI know she is probably back in Edmonton right now planning my demise for mentioning her and talking about her in the House, because she is a bit shy.Aside Claims · 42 wordsI have had the pleasure of working with Oula for 10 years in my office.⁵ Before working with me, she worked for the hon. Laurie Hawn, and before that, Peter Goldring. Oula hails, originally, from Palestine. She is a very proud Palestinian. Thanks · 9 wordsI am very proud to have her with us.Thanks Claims · 86 wordsOver the 30 years she has worked in MP offices, she has helped untold thousands of Canadians, whether it is with CRA issues, EI issues or especially immigration issues.⁶ We have people contacting our office from around the entire province, knowing that Oula is the one to help. She is considered by all of our offices in Alberta as the most senior, most educated and most experienced person to help out on so many files. Oula has just returned to our office after very lengthy challenges, Thanks · 24 wordsand I cannot express how happy we are that she is back with us. I know that my constituents express that exact same feeling.Thanks Claims · 39 wordsMy predecessor, in part of my riding, the hon. Laurie Hawn, used to say about the constituency staff and the MPs that the MP is just the hood ornament and the constituency staff is the engine of the car. Thanks · 10 wordsOula is a phenomenally strong-running V8 engine in that comparison.Thanks Claims · 20 wordsThe other one I want to mention specifically is Oula’s father, Dean Sanduga. Dean, of course, also hails from Palestine. Thanks · 12 wordsHe is an incredible community leader and has raised an incredible family.Thanks Claims · 26 wordsTo this day, even though he is considerably older than me, he still stays very active in the community, helping newcomers, helping Canadians and helping Edmontonians. Thanks · 16 wordsAgain, I wanted to thank both of them for all the incredible work they have done.Thanks Procedure · 29 wordsNow, for the rest of my few minutes I have, I am going to plagiarize and read from a story by someone at the U of A, Sarah Carter.Procedure Claims · 31 wordsShe is a professor there. I found some of the stories she was telling about Syrians coming to western Canada. One of her favourite authors is a gentleman named Habeeb Salloum. Aside · 7 wordsMy colleague from Abbotsford may like this.Aside Claims · 14 wordsMr. Salloum was famous for writing books, including Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead.⁷ Procedure · 10 wordsOne of Mr. Salloum’s books concluded with a great comment, ProcedureClaims · 51 wordsas Sarah Carter wrote, “‘The saga of the Arab immigrants is truly the story of Canada.’⁸ He feared they were being forgotten, as those with Arab heritage sought to assimilate. He hoped ‘fellow Canadians and others, after reading our family’s saga will feel that Arab Canadians have contributed to Canada’s history.’” Thanks · 15 wordsI encourage people to read that book. Those are very strong words from Mr. Salloum.Thanks Procedure · 20 wordsI want to just start with some of the story that Sarah had written about Arabs in Canada, especially Syrians.Procedure Claims · 22 wordsShe starts off with “Syrians have a long history in Canada. Paul Anka is perhaps the best known Canadian of Syrian ancestry.” Aside · 48 wordsI look around the House, perhaps at my colleague from Abbotsford with his love of Arab food. He is so young that I am not sure if he knows who Paul Anka is. I am looking around for the other grey hairs. There are a few of us.Aside Thanks · 6 wordsPaul Anka is a wonderful gentleman, ThanksClaims · 95 wordsand yes, I think he is probably the most famous Canadian of Syrian ancestry. Sarah goes on to say, “there were others; many of whom we must consider ‘Old Stock Canadians.’” I think she makes a reference just to show how long people of Syrian heritage and Arab history have been in Canada. It goes back to, as we heard earlier, the beginning of Confederation. She continues, “Somewhat less well known, for example, but still very popular in his day, was ‘Canada’s King of the Fiddle,’ Ameen ‘King’ Ganam, born in Swift Current in 1914.”⁹ Aside · 11 wordsI am aging myself. I actually remember who “King” Ganam was.Aside Procedure · 31 wordsI see I am getting the wave that my time is up. I will come back to finish my last two minutes with the story about “King” Ganam and Tommy Hunter.Procedure