Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the city of Kirkland.
Kirkland's history begins with the arrival of the Brunet family in the area in 1667. The Meloche and Daoust families were also among the first families to arrive.
Kirkland's town library is a testament to the spirit of volunteerism behind the city's social, sports and recreational life.
In 1971, nine women gathered together in an old wooden house to inaugurate the town's first library. The original modest collection of books was donated by the Boy Scouts, who went door to door to collect second-hand volumes. Through subsequent fundraising efforts, that at one point included raffling off a car, the Kirkland Public Library was well on its way to serving the fledgling community.
From its first mayor, Marcel Meloche, to its current mayor, John Meaney, Kirkland has been served by a long line of dynamic mayors, including Sam Elkas, later an MNA and Quebec cabinet minister, and Nick Discepola, who sat in this House from 1993 to 2004.
I invite all of the members to join with me in wishing a very happy 50th anniversary to the people of Kirkland.