Mr. Speaker, a sad incident occurred in my riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun on February 23. The former Saint-Paul church was destroyed in a major fire, which forced nearly 100 seniors to be evacuated from their nearby home in the middle of the night.
Thanks to the bravery and professionalism of the Montreal fire department and the rapid support of the Canadian Red Cross, no lives were lost.
However, a vital community lifeline lost everything.
The La Main Qui Partage food bank, which feeds the most vulnerable and offers hope and dignity to over 200 families, lost all of its equipment. Our community came together.
Residents stepped up. Volunteers showed up, and members of Parliament from across Montreal answered the call to offer concrete support to help the organization replace its equipment. I cannot thank my colleagues enough.
The food bank's mission is to ensure that no one falls through the cracks. When hardship strikes, our community comes together and acts in solidarity—