Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent in my riding of Kitchener, Ontario, Marie France Paré.
Miss Paré, from École Cardinal-Léger, had the honour of receiving the Mathieu Da Costa award for elementary French writing. This award is relatively new and honours young people who have illustrated through the arts the cultural diversity in our society.
Miss Paré was recognized for her essay on Harriet Tubman. Her essay brings to light this heroic individual and her contributions to society. It also identifies the many cultures that are part of our Canadian history.
Her writing skill coupled with her insightfulness brings to our attention the diverse beginnings of Canadian society.
Like Mathieu Da Costa, Miss Paré illustrates the significant impact people from all cultures have had and will have on this country. I commend her and all the award recipients for bringing to light the contributions of all cultures to our nation.
I wish to congratulate Miss Paré for this special award and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.