Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to announce to the House that one of my constituents, Ms. Erin Braun Janzen of Robert H. Smith School in Winnipeg, who with others is on the Hill today, is a proud recipient of the Mathieu da Costa Award. This award is given out to nine Canadian students in recognition of Black History Month.
Although one winner, Elaine Deng, was not able to be present today, Erin was joined by Sarah Vollett, Heather Macarthur, Stéphanie McCuan, Alison Taylor, Jordan Pinder, Michael Ratushniak and Carolynn Young at the Museum of Civilization this morning where they were presented their awards by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation.
The Mathieu da Costa challenge gives students across the country the opportunity to learn about and showcase the contributions of aboriginal peoples and Canadians of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to the building of this country. Through their writing and their art they tell the achievements of those people whose efforts are not well recognized in Canadian history.
Erin wrote an important paper entitled David Toews--a Man of Faith telling of his efforts to support the immigration of Mennonites to western Canada in the 19th century.