I’m very proud to rise today in celebration of our community leaders, who have been hard at work to establish a youth wellness hub in Thunder Bay. Our community partners have worked together for many years to better support youth in navigating service pathways, especially during the challenging transitional period from child to adult.

This August, parent advocates and service provider representatives participated in Associate Minister Tibollo’s round-table visit to Thunder Bay, where the concept of a youth wellness hub re-emerged. Following that meeting, I was privileged to meet with Diane Walker, Jennifer Lawrance, and Rob Dueck, a parent advocate for the Jaida Project. Since that meeting, this incredible group of people have mobilized our youth and community partners in a way that has impressed me significantly. A steering committee was immediately formed, and the group set out engaging necessary stakeholders.

On November 3, a youth wellness hub community forum was held in Thunder Bay, where 150 participants, including 50 youth, participated. Topics brought forward included the need for such things as integrated one-stop mental health and addiction services and education support. The importance of peer mentorship was highlighted by youth, caregivers and service providers.

It is important to take a moment to recognize Carolyn Karle and Rob and MaryLouise Dueck. These parents have suffered the unthinkable loss of losing their child. Despite that pain and heartache, they have chosen to be active ambassadors for the youth and families in our community, and we honour them.

I would like to wish everybody in the House a very merry Christmas and happy holidays.