Today is Halloween, the spookiest day of the year. I want to commend the residents of Brampton North for beautifully and creatively decorating their homes. Decorations may seem small but they go a long way, showing community spirit and adding to the vibrancy of our neighbourhoods. I wish my constituents a happy and safe Halloween.

I would also ask everyone to resist the urge to pull out their Christmas decorations and “deck the halls” tomorrow or the next few days following. I respectfully ask that we wait instead until after November 11, Remembrance Day. Instead, let us all attend services in our communities to honour our heroes and reflect on the many brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we live in a proud and free country. And out of respect for them, let’s hold off on the Christmas lights.

Speaker, I am fortunate to have been born and raised in Brampton, a city that cherishes our diversity, celebrates our culture and values our freedoms. But these values have come at a cost—a proud military tradition of sacrifice in the pursuit of peace. We see their heroism in moments of free speech and free expression. We feel their sacrifice in our places of democracy, including right here in this legislative chamber.

I invite the residents of Brampton to attend services at Chinguacousy Park or at the Ahmadiyya Mubarak mosque on November 6, and especially the ceremony at the memorial cenotaph on Remembrance Day itself where, together as a community, we will remember.