Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was sad to hear that a fixture in my riding, the Soupière de l'amitié de Gatineau, would be closing down.
Everyone in the Outaouais region was shocked by this news. Everyone in Gatineau is familiar with the Soupière de l'amitié for one simple reason. This organization's employees and volunteers have been taking care of the people of Gatineau for nearly 30 years.
They take care of the less fortunate by serving hot meals every day for only $1 and by running an emergency food bank. They take care of our children by serving nearly 150,000 free, healthy breakfasts in 35 area schools. They take care of people who are marginalized by providing an environment where friendship thrives and prejudice does not exist.
Today is a day to celebrate their dedication, but we must also honour them. For me, honouring the legacy of the Soupière de l'amitié de Gatineau means refusing to trivialize the issue of poverty. On behalf of the residents of the Outaouais region, I want to say a huge thank you to the big family at the Soupière de l'amitié de Gatineau.