Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the tireless and relentless work of two mothers who live in rural Carleton.

Cheri Nixon of Osgoode and Jennifer Bugden of Munster are among the many parents in rural Ottawa who have had the lives of their families—and their communities—turned upside down because the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority was unable to secure school bus contracts for thousands of students living in suburban and rural Ottawa. Now, many families are facing difficult circumstances. They have a commute into the city of at least an hour for work, but they are left with no way to get their children to school.

I am proud of Cheri Nixon and Jennifer Bugden for wanting to do something about the problem. They organized Facebook groups, started petitions and spoke with class, dignity and passion at my community barbecue on Saturday, September 9. They have stepped up to become valuable leaders in the community, joining me in the fight to get this situation resolved. They met with Minister Lecce in a Zoom call to make him fully aware of what families in rural Ottawa are facing.

In addition, Jennifer has been engaging with the community to reopen Munster Elementary School, which was shut down by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in 2015. The school’s closure put a village full of children on school buses while a beautiful and well-maintained building has sat empty, with the exception of some weekly community events that take place on some evenings.

Mr. Speaker, every riding and every community needs people like Cheri Nixon and Jennifer Bugden. The heart and soul they have transcend the villages they live in. What they have both accomplished in a short time sets an example of dedication, determination and selflessness. Right now, they are inspiring everyone, including their—