Mr. Speaker, the 32nd Reconnaissance Estrie gala was held in Sherbrooke on Friday, April 20. This annual event, which is organized by the Sherbrooke chamber of commerce, honours many local businesses for their outstanding work. These business owners play a vital role in the development of our local economy and in the promotion of our region, as highlighted by the theme of this year's gala, which was “openness to the world”.
I want to extend my warmest congratulations to the winners: Kezber, in the service business category; Groupe Précigrafik, in the manufacturing category; Conceptromec, in the large business category; Tchaga Kombucha, in the new business category; Boomerang, in the small business category; the Coopérative de l'Université de Sherbrooke, in the retail category; Sercovie, in the non-profit category; and FilSpec, in the openness to the world category.
I also wish to congratulate Dany Sévigny, a businessman known for his many community initiatives who earned the 2018 Eastern Townships Resident of the Year award.
Congratulations are also in order for all the finalists, for their fantastic work and success over the past year. Everyone did a great job.