Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the people of my riding and my family. It is thanks to them that I am here before you today.
I thank my beautiful grandmother, who I lost last year. She taught me how to stay brave and courageous in the face of adversity.
Today, Canada joins the whole world in celebrating International Human Rights Day, the culmination of 16 days of action on violence against women. This is the day we remind all Canadians that living a life free of violence is a basic human right.
Every one of us has a role to play in protecting that right. It can be as simple as showing respect in all of our interactions with each other and teaching our children to do the same.
If all Canadians commit to ending gender-based violence, our actions can make a real difference for women, girls, and all Canadians.