OTTAWA — Liberal MP Yvan Baker has introduced legislation that would designate July as Somali Heritage Month in Canada, saying the measure would recognize the contributions of Somalis in Canada.The private member’s bill, bill C-283, co-sponsored by Liberal MP Ahmed Hussen, received first reading in the House of Commons this week.“Canada is home to many Canadians of Somali heritage,” Baker wrote on X.“Canadians of Somali descent have left and continue to leave a historic mark on Canada, with contributions that span communities across the country and are reflected in Canada’s economic, political, social and cultural life.”If adopted, the bill would make July Somali Heritage Month across Canada.The proposal drew criticism from some commentators. National Post columnist Jamie Sarkonak questioned the claims made in support of the legislation.“I’m going to need to see a PBO study that backs up the claims on this post,” Sarkonak wrote on X..Meanwhile, Maxime Bernier rejected the proposal outright.“NO THANKS!” Bernier wrote.“THE ENTIRE YEAR SHOULD BE DECLARED ‘Canadian Heritage Year’.”The bill is the third heritage-month proposal introduced by Baker during the current Parliament. He previously tabled Bill C-203, which would establish Ukrainian Heritage Month, and Bill C-209, which would establish Albanian Heritage Month. Baker himself is of Ukrainian heritage. All three measures have received first reading but have not advanced further in Parliament.According to census and community estimates, Canada’s Somali population is estimated at between 65,000 and 150,000 people, representing less than 0.5% of the country’s population. Somali communities are concentrated primarily in Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton and other major urban centres.Federal governments of different political stripes have previously funded programs aimed at supporting Somali-Canadian communities. Under the Harper government, Public Safety Canada funded an Edmonton-based initiative called “Keeping Somali Youth Out of Street Gangs and Drugs” between 2010 and 2013. The program sought to reduce gang recruitment, drug involvement and school dropout rates among Somali youth and was later cited by the department as generating positive social outcomes.
