Mr. Speaker, as this is the first time I am addressing the House, I would like to thank those who helped get me here: my wife, Barb, our wonderful family, the amazing campaign team, and the 34,303 voters in Guelph who helped get me here.
As the House knows, we are currently facing a historically tragic humanitarian crisis, with unprecedented numbers of refugees displaced from Syria. I rise today to acknowledge an incredible effort currently under way in Guelph to bring 50 families to our community in the coming weeks. This is a community-wide and entirely locally funded effort spanning several faith groups, local businesses, and social agencies. Guelph entrepreneur Jim Estill, the driving force behind this project, has provided financing of $1.5 million and arranged employment and mentorship.
On behalf of the people of Guelph, I wish to thank everyone involved for their great efforts to help.