Madam Speaker, Canadians have heard us say it before: Diversity is our strength. Last week in my riding of Mississauga EastâCooksville, we celebrated Black history and the Black community. We were joined by the descendants of brave men and women who fled slavery through the underground railroad.
I am proud to represent passionate and tireless advocates who have worked to preserve these stories and valuable parts of our history: people like Dr. Bryan Walls and Anna Davis Walls, curators of the Underground Railroad Museum; Abby Watkins-Lewis, a lawyer and professor, Dave Watkins, a youth counsellor, teacher and artist, and their good friend and fellow educator, John Solarski, who together founded and co-ordinated the African Diaspora Youth Conference; Peel Region's police chief, Nishan Duraiappah, and his constable Korissa Williams; City of Mississauga community development co-ordinator Orville Edwards and councillor Chris Fonseca. They are all leaders and positive change agents.
Our government has taken measures to eliminate systemic discrimination in Canada, because we know better is always possible.