The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Lebanese Heritage Month:

“Today, as we mark the beginning of Lebanese Heritage Month, we celebrate Canada’s vibrant Lebanese community.

“Since Lebanese immigrants first arrived in Canada nearly two centuries ago, the diaspora has shaped our country for the better. Lebanese Canadians are some of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs. Innovators in science, medicine, and technology. Community leaders who keep our country inclusive and welcoming. From city halls to convocation ceremonies, from textbooks to tech summits, Lebanese Canadian success stories can be seen across our communities.

“This year, Lebanese Heritage Month comes at a particularly painful time for Lebanese communities across Canada and around the world. More than a million people are estimated to be displaced from their homes in Lebanon due to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Innocent civilians, including children, have been killed. There must be peace.

“So far this year, the Government of Canada has announced more than $56 million to help trusted humanitarian partners, including the Canadian Red Cross and the Humanitarian Coalition, provide food, water, emergency health care, protection services, and other life-saving assistance to the people of Lebanon. We continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation across the region, and stabilization of the Israel-Lebanon border, and we reaffirm Canada’s longstanding support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability. Canada stresses the need for a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line, consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I invite Canadians to learn more about Lebanese Canadians and their contributions to our communities. In these painful times, we stand in solidarity with Lebanese Canadians as we mark Lebanese Heritage Month.”