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House Hansard - 36

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 21, 2022 07:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 36 - Feb/21/22
Mr. Shafqat Ali (Brampton Centre, Lib.)
  • Feb/21/22 2:07:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, James William Roman escaped slavery in Maryland and came to Canada via the Underground Railroad. His grandson, Dr. Charles Lightfoot Roman, was born on May 19, 1889, in Port Elgin, Ontario. Dr. Roman was one of the first Black Canadians to graduate from McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine. He was also one of the first Black Canadians to enlist for service in the First World War. Moreover, he was a surgeon, author, researcher, lecturer and a recognized expert in industrial medicine. To this day, Dr. Roman’s grandson fondly recalls how his grandparents impacted the lives of Canadians in times prior to universal health care. They were a heroic team of doctor and nurse whose back door was never closed to those in need, because their kitchen served double duty as a public clinic. Let us always be thankful for the many contributions of Black Canadians to our great country.
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