Mr. Speaker, last November, in my riding of Hamilton Centre, I was honoured to join with the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion as it held its first ever conversation café at the Beasley Community Centre on Elgin Street. Attended by more than 150 people, the conversation café brought together members from many of Hamilton's cultural communities, including the Turkish, Somali, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic communities, as well as seniors and youth representatives, to discuss changes residents would like to see in their neighbourhoods and how they would like to get involved in their community life.
The conversation café continues the outstanding work of HCCI and its executive director and Diamond Jubilee medal recipient, Evelyn Myrie, who works to assist the City of Hamilton, as well as major institutions, business, service providers and others, to provide equity and create inclusive environments in all areas of civic life. This important work continues to play a critical role in Hamilton's multicultural development.
I would like to congratulate the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion for the excellent work in our community and wish it continued success with more conversation cafés.