Mr. Speaker, on April 26, the general assembly of the Fédération des caisses populaires de l'Ontario voted in favour of closer ties with the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins.
By so doing, the Fédération des caisses populaires de l'Ontario made a decision that will greatly benefit its members and our community.
I want to congratulate, in particular, the president of the federation's board, Thomas Blais, who said,
The Caisses de l'Ontario will be able to build on the economic strength of the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins. This is the most important decision in the history of the Caisses de l'Ontario.
Since the start of the cooperative movement in Canada, which was closely associated with Alphonse Desjardins and his wife Dorimène—by the way, Mr. Desjardins was a Clerk in this House at the turn of the last century—francophone rural communities have benefited from greater economic development, which still serves their interests today.
I want to congratulate the Fédération des caisses populaires de l'Ontario—
Winnipeg