Mr. Speaker, this November marks the seventh year of the Shine the Light on Woman Abuse campaign. Launched by the London Abused Women's Centre, the campaign engages communities across Canada to stand in solidarity with abused women and girls, while supporting them in seeking services, by turning cities and regions purple for the month of November.
Purple is a symbol of courage, survival, and honour, and it has come to symbolize the fight to end woman abuse. This year, we honour two women: Paula Gallant, a 36-year-old Nova Scotia resident who was murdered by her husband while her baby slept upstairs; and Mary Meadows, a southwestern Ontario woman who survived abuse with the support of the London Abused Women's Centre.
I encourage all my colleagues to join me and representatives from the London Abused Women's Centre for the lighting of the Hill ceremony on the steps of Parliament tonight, after the votes, to shine the light on abuse against women.