Mr. Speaker, in 1995, parliament passed a resolution proclaiming February Black History Month.
This annual celebration grew in popularity during the 1960s, as blacks in Canada became increasingly aware of their contribution to Canadian society with the growth of the civil rights movement in the United States.
The Mathieu Da Costa awards program shows the importance the government places on Black History Month.
Historically recognized as the first black person to settle in Canada, Mathieu Da Costa helped the Mi'kmaq and the first French explorers understand each other, thanks to his skill as an interpreter.
The awards program is aimed at encouraging primary and secondary school students, aged 9 to 19, to explore the contributions persons of various cultural and racial origins have made to Canada's development.
In this, Black History Month, I hope celebrations are lively and I offer my thanks for their contribution to Canada's culture.