Mr. Speaker, Canada is a rich and diverse country, with a vibrant multicultural mosaic that reflects the faces of the world, and nothing brings cultured communities together better than love, compassion, and respect for each other.
Chinese community leaders organized the 44th annual Lunar New Year parade yesterday, with tens of thousands of people from all walks of life taking part in celebration of the Year of the Rooster. The streets in Vancouver's Chinatown were an incredible array of colourful lions, spirited dancers, dragons, marching bands, troops, and aboriginal drummers. The centuries-old cultural tradition was not just celebrated in Vancouver, but indeed it was celebrated across the country in communities big and small.
As we celebrate our nation's 150th birthday as well, let us also celebrate the contributions and strengths of the multicultural communities.
[Member spoke in Cantonese]
[English]
Happy Lunar New Year to everyone and to all Canadians.