Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a trailblazer, a role model, a dedicated public servant, and a friend, Gerri Lynn O'Connor, on her appointment as the chair of Durham Region. She is the first woman to ever hold this position.
As the mayor of the Township of Uxbridge, Chair O'Connor has 34 years of municipal experience, including 29 years as mayor. As a result of her tireless leadership and fearless advocacy, Uxbridge has grown and been enriched tremendously during her tenure. Whether it was building local infrastructure, improving public services, or seeing Uxbridge designated as the Trail Capital of Canada, Chair O'Connor has always championed and fought for the community that she calls home.
It was an honour working with Chair O'Connor on our shared priorities when she was mayor, and I am looking forward to continuing that hard work as she embarks on her exciting new role.
On behalf of myself and my Durham Region colleagues, I offer my congratulations to Chair O'Connor.