Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to mark the first reading of my private member's motion, Motion No. 36, calling for the designation of August 1 as emancipation day in Canada. Our motion calls for the House to recognize the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade on August 1, 1834. As well, the motion aims to recognize the significance that August 1 holds as a historic celebration of freedom among Black Canadians.
I want to acknowledge the support the motion has received from Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, the hon. member for Hull—Aylmer and the members of the all-party Parliamentary Black Caucus. I want to commend the valuable insights I received from community voices like Rosemary Sadlier from the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Ontario Black History Society and the Canadian Association of Social Workers.
In closing, I call upon colleagues in the House to vote in favour of designating August 1 of every year emancipation day throughout our wonderful nation.