Mr. Speaker, it is with both pride and humility that I rise for the first time in this House. I must say that, for someone who arrived in Canada at the age of eight, speaking not a word of French or English, it is a particularly moving moment.
My first words will be to thank the men and women of Honoré-Mercier for giving me their confidence and support in the election.
In recent months I have travelled everywhere in the riding to meet people active in diverse economic and social areas. I met women and men who give the best of themselves every day in their respective fields.
There were a number of common threads in these discussions : the Government of Canada should allocate substantial resources to health, contribute to the revitalization of municipal infrastructure, and invest seriously in the environment.
These ideas expressed by people in my riding are certainly valid for the eastern part of Montreal, for other areas in Quebec and even all of Canada.
I am here to work on the realization of these priorities, with all my energy and to the best of my abilities.