Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate Canada's first Braille Day as proclaimed by our Deputy Prime Minister.
Today we honour the memory of Louis Braille. It was Mr. Braille who developed and introduced a system of six raised dots that revolutionized the lives of blind and visually impaired people around the world.
A combination of these six magic dots have made it possible for a person who is blind to read. The ability to read the printed word opens countless doors.
Braille Day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of this invention and the impact it has on literacy.
I ask my colleagues to join in celebrating Canada's first Braille Day. This year's theme is Braille equals equality.