Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Council of the Blind is a national self-help organization of persons who are blind, deaf-blind or visually impaired. It is recognized as Canada's voice of blind Canadians and its motto is, “A lack of sight is not a lack of vision”.
There are 85 chapters in Canada. On May 25, I had the pleasure of attending a ceremony to celebrate the Brantford Robert Troughton Memorial Chapter's expansion of its facility to 3,300 square feet. Among others involved in the event were Marie Myke, president, Dennis Finucan, executive director, and Mr. Gord Hope.
In November 2004, a Brantford youth chapter was created, named after the late Don Bethune, a very fine citizen of Brantford and former principal of the W. Ross McDonald School.
My sincere congratulations are extended to the Brantford chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind.