Mr. Speaker, in the early hours of January 23, tragedy struck L'Isle-Verte. A terrible fire destroyed the Résidence du Havre, leaving 32 people dead or unaccounted for.
In the face of such tragedy, there are no words to express our grief and our compassion. I would nevertheless like to offer my most sincere condolences to the families of the dead and missing.
I would also like to salute the dedicated efforts of the teams of first responders who, despite very difficult conditions, have been tirelessly sifting through the rubble so that bereaved families can grieve in peace.
Tomorrow, the community will share its grief with the whole province and bid farewell to those who were lost during a ceremony at the L'Isle-Verte church. I invite my colleagues, the constituents of my riding, Bourassa, and the Haitian community to join me in expressing our support for this community that has suffered so much.