Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleagues.
We are all dismayed at the devastating situation that the people of Fort McMurray, the Wood Buffalo region, and Alberta as a whole are going through right now. The images coming out of the region are surreal. Having to urgently flee in the face of desolation; leaving behind homes, furniture, personal belongings, everything; and potentially losing everything is a nightmare that pains me and every one of us very deeply.
The Bloc Québécois wholeheartedly supports those who are now caught between the hope of returning to everything left behind and the fear that everything will have to be rebuilt. As we all know, a home is so much more than a roof over one's head. Our thoughts are with all these displaced people and families. We wish them courage, safety, peace, and solace.
It is when tragedy strikes that we discover the friendship, solidarity, generosity, and tenacity, truly, the great compassion of the people all around us. We are confident that at the end of the day, this community will come out of this stronger, closer, and ready to face new challenges and put this terrible episode behind it.
The Bloc Québécois wants to acknowledge the hard work of the firefighters, police officers, armed forces personnel, and countless volunteers who are in Alberta fighting the wildfires and helping the victims. Your dedication and generosity are invaluable.
I will close by saying that I was told this morning that many Quebeckers have already responded generously to the Red Cross's calls for financial donations. I thank them and encourage them to keep giving in solidarity with those affected by this situation.