Mr. Speaker, four years ago, when students at Bishop Marrocco Secondary School in my riding of Parkdale—High Park saw the youth suicide crisis in Attawapiskat unfolding before their very eyes, they turned to their soccer coaches, Paolo and Dan, and asked what they could do. Together they hatched an idea to fundraise and send their team to Attawapiskat to run a soccer camp, and then they did it again and again.
For the last four years, these young people have been building bridges, developing trust and learning from their indigenous brothers and sisters in Attawapiskat. What started as a soccer camp is now a sports, dance and multimedia initiative that connects two schools in Toronto, Bishop Marrocco and St. Elizabeth, with the very school in Attawapiskat founded by Shannen Koostachin.
The story of Canada is truly about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This project is one such shining example. I salute these youth in Toronto and Attawapiskat for their incredible efforts to address youth mental health and to advance reconciliation.