Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the 13th annual International Day of Disabled Persons. This is a day to better understand the day-to-day lives of individuals with disabilities as well as an opportunity to pay tribute to their courage and perseverance.
There are 500 million disabled persons world-wide. They are actively involved in social, economic, political and cultural affairs.
This day, devoted to them, is an opportunity to acknowledge the gains disabled people have made, without forgetting the work that remains to be done to improve their lives and afford them truly equal opportunities.
I want to recognize and pay tribute to various organizations for the disabled in Laval, including the Regroupement des organismes de promotion des personnes handicapées de Laval, the Association régionale de loisirs pour personnes handicapées de Laval, the Corporation de personnes handicapées et de travail de Laval, as well as the Association lavalloise pour le transport adapté.
I thank them for their generous contributions.