Mr. Speaker, as you may know, in December 1995 parliament officially designated February as Black History Month.
Black History Month provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the importance the history of Blacks in North America.
In Canada, Black History Month gained acceptance in the late 1960s and has become an annual event across the country, particularly in major urban cities.
The federal government's commitment to the recognition and education of Black History Month is the Mathieu Da Costa Awards Program. Mathieu Da Costa was the first of many persons of African origin who have made important contributions to the building of Canada. The program encourages Canadian students to research, discover and celebrate the contributions of Canadians of ethnic and racial minorities who have contributed to the building of Canadian society and allows them to develop a more inclusive notion of Canadian citizenship and identity.
I encourage all of you take part in the events and activities of Black History Month and to recognize the extraordinary contribution Black people have made and continue to make in building Canadian society.