Mr. Speaker, today my thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims of the earthquake in Ecuador, and especially those of the two Quebeckers who perished.
The numbers continue to grow, with at least 350 lives lost and more than 2,500 people injured. At times like this we get a sense of nature's strength and humankind's vulnerability. My heart goes out to the people of Ecuador.
The Laflamme family was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the ceiling came down on them. Pascal, Jennifer, Laurie-Ann, and Arthur were true globetrotters, a close family that had just toured the world together. We can only imagine the grief of the two survivors: Pascal, the father, and his daughter, Laurie-Ann.
I want to close by offering my support to the federal government in managing this tragedy and my most sincere condolences to the families in Quebec who are being exceptionally strong under the circumstances.