Mr. Speaker, today is the first day of Black History Month, and the theme, “Honor the past, inspire the future”, is well chosen. The best way to honour the past is to raise awareness and salute Black communities for the indisputable contributions they have made to the history, culture, and social, economic and political life of Quebec, Canada, North America and the world.
This is always a good opportunity to look to the future and reflect together on a society and a Quebec that are more egalitarian, more united and free from prejudice, but it is also an opportunity to celebrate. That is why I am inviting all Quebeckers to check out the wealth of online programming on offer for Black History Month.
Talks and panel discussions will be happening all month, with the closing event, the Gala Dynastie, taking place on March 5. I also invite the public to look into local Black History Month events being held throughout Quebec, from Gatineau to the Lower St. Lawrence.