I want to thank all my MPP colleagues across both sides—all parties, everyone. Thank you so much for your kind words and your support today in support of Orthodox Christian Week in Ontario.

I want to recognize those who spoke today, members from Toronto–Danforth, Sudbury, Oakville North–Burlington, Mississauga–Erin Mills, Scarborough–Agincourt, and although she didn’t speak—a new Orthodox Christian in this chamber—the member from Mississauga Centre.

I want to thank Father Geoffrey Ready, Deacon Daron Halajian and Diane Draga Dragesevic for your help in drafting my speech today, and the many who have helped to make this day possible with your strong support in spreading the word of this important recognition.

And finally, I thank all of you who are here today, including my son Aleksandar, and all of you who are watching from home, including my family. None of this could be possible without all of your strong support.

Representation is important. As an Orthodox Christian, I am proud to have spoken here today on behalf of my hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters across our great province. We are here—here in the seats of the Legislature, here in the galleries today. We have been arriving here for over a hundred years. We are born here. We are a part of Ontario’s history, present and future. We are an important part of our province’s diversity.

Today, we have taken a large and important step in recognizing Orthodox Christians in Ontario. I invite you all to continue on this journey together so that Orthodox Christian Week will be formally recognized every year in Ontario. And God willing, if we all work together, this can happen soon—maybe even to celebrate this very year.

Thank you all for your support today.

Thank you to the member for his work on this file and his speech. It’s always a pleasure to speak with him.

I have a question for him, but it’s really a question for all of the Conservative government members. I want you to imagine a scenario whereby Justin Trudeau introduced a law in Parliament that said that if any province could muster one third of their MLAs or MPPs to put forth a bill that supported the priorities of Justin Trudeau, it should pass in any province. Would you support such an initiative by the Prime Minister to allow any province with one third of their MPPs or MLAs to get a bill to pass so long as Justin Trudeau agreed with it?