Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy and a touch of personal pride that I rise today to mark the 50th anniversary of the Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud, or MIRS.
This organization, which has provided me with extraordinary professional and community experience, is instrumental in welcoming refugees and immigrants to Montreal's south shore and helping them integrate.
Founded in Longueuil in 1975 as a support for Quebec host families who volunteered to welcome refugees from southeast Asia, it relocated to Brossard in 1980. Over the decades, MIRS has become an essential partner in helping our region become more intercultural. From French-language training to employment integration, from consultation to advocacy, MIRS takes action and nurtures thousands of people who choose Montreal's south shore as the place to rebuild their lives.
All my life, I have been fortunate to work in professions that I am passionate about. For 15 years, the Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud was one of those passions. I offer it my heartfelt congratulations.