Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the national capital region, including Hull—Aylmer, was hit by a tornado. Thanks to the national emergency alert system, residents were able to find shelter.
Hundreds of people no longer have a roof over their heads. I arrived minutes after the tornado had passed. There was massive devastation, but the story I want to share with the House is a story of resilience.
I got to see Gatineau's strong sense of community at work. What matters is not what happens to us, but how we deal with it. Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, the Red Cross, Hydro-Québec, emergency preparedness organizations, City of Gatineau staff, first responders, bus drivers for the Société de transport de l'Outaouais, the business community, and countless volunteers did a stellar job.
I urge all Canadians to donate to the Red Cross to help those who have lost everything.
I want everyone who has been affected by this disaster to know that the community and every level of government are behind them. I also want to thank the residents of Hull—Aylmer for making all the difference.