TORONTO — Conservative MP Jamil Jivani has sponsored a House of Commons petition calling on the federal government to stop recognizing new heritage months and commemorative days dedicated to ethnic and cultural groups, arguing that such observances undermine a shared Canadian identity.The petition, initiated by Ottawa resident Daniel Everett and sponsored by Jivani, opened for signatures on June 16 and will remain available until Oct. 14.In a post on social media, Jivani said he was pleased to sponsor the petition.“I have gladly sponsored a new petition in the House of Commons, calling on the federal government to end the perpetual creation of heritage months and days, and asking the federal government to instead focus on shared Canadian history and citizenship,” he wrote.The petition argues that the federal government continues to expand the number of officially recognized heritage months, commemorative days and observances dedicated to specific ethnic and cultural communities. It states that Ottawa already recognizes more than 20 commemorative days and months for individual ethnic groups.According to the petition, these observances amount to "empty virtue signaling" that tokenizes ethnic communities and undermines social cohesion rather than promoting Canadian identity and citizenship..The petition further argues that national commemorations should reinforce a common Canadian identity rooted in the country's history, values and traditions, including what it describes as the legacy of Canada's English and French founding nations.The petition calls on the House of Commons to end the practice of recognizing days or months commemorating ethnic or heritage groups and instead celebrate Canadians regardless of ethnicity or ancestry.Canada currently recognizes a range of heritage and awareness months, including Black History Month, Sikh Heritage Month, Asian Heritage Month, National Indigenous History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, among others. Many of these observances were established through parliamentary motions or legislation and are intended to recognize the contributions and experiences of specific communities.Supporters of heritage months argue they provide opportunities to educate Canadians about the country's diverse cultural communities and acknowledge historical challenges faced by minority groups.Critics contend that the growing number of heritage observances places undue emphasis on ethnic differences and risks weakening a shared national identity.Jivani, the Conservative MP for the Ontario riding of Bowmanville—Oshawa North, is listed as the petition's sponsoring member of Parliament. If the petition gathers enough signatures, it may be formally presented in the House of Commons.The federal government has not publicly commented on the petition.
