Mr. Speaker, this week, I invite everyone in Val-d'Or and the surrounding areas to participate in the 21st Awareness Week for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is being held under the theme of “Together, united against racism”.
This year, because of COVID-19, partners had to replace the Gabriel Commanda walk, which has been an important event for many years, with an individual solidarity march of 1.5 kilometres. People are invited to post pictures of themselves doing the walk on social media and to sign the banners that have been hung in front of Val-d'Or city hall and at the Complexe culturel Marcel-Monette.
Gabriel Commanda, a strong advocate for indigenous rights, is a historic figure in my riding. Thanks to him, for many years now, we have been aware of the reality of racial discrimination in an area where various indigenous peoples and non-indigenous people live side by side. As we have seen in the news in recent months, there is no respite from racism, and so the fight against racial discrimination must go on.