Mr. Speaker, Black History Month is not only a time to look back. It is a call to build forward. As we mark 30 years of its recognition in Canada, we are reminded that celebrating Black excellence must go hand in hand with expanding opportunities. This year's theme, “From Nation Builders to Tomorrow's Visionaries”, speaks to this continuum. The entrepreneurs, community leaders and advocates shaping our economy today are laying the foundation for the next generation.
This is why this Saturday in Pickering—Brooklin, we will gather for our Black entrepreneurship forum, a space dedicated not only to dialogue but to connection, capital and concrete opportunity. With the participation of the Secretary of State for Small Business, the focus will be clear: ensuring Black-owned businesses can access the tools they need to grow, scale and thrive.
Together, through partnership and purposeful investment, we honour those who built before us and empower those who will lead next.