Mr. Speaker, a sure sign that spring has officially arrived in Vaudreuil—Soulanges is the start of all the festivals and events that are so vital to our communities.
On the weekend, I had the honour of participating in the 7th annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Hudson, an event where the young and not-so-young are invited to be Irish for the day.
This year's parade was led by our grand marshal, Ted Bird; the Irishman of the year, Derek Johnson; our parade queen, Shannon Pine; and her princesses, Olivia O'Keeffe and Maria Isabel Massironi.
The opportunity to sport a green beard, wear a green bow tie, and delight in some of the great local Irish fares are just some of the reasons that the citizens of my riding look forward to it every year. The event is so popular that the quaint and historic town of Hudson jumps from a population of 5,000 to over 10,000 for the day.
I would like to thank the members of the organizing committee—Jim Beauchamp, Gary McKeown, Mike Klaiman, and Ken Doran—as well as all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make it happen. Cheers.