Honourable senators, I rise this afternoon to highlight today’s I Read Canadian Day. In its second year, this event aims to raise awareness of Canadian books and to celebrate the excellence of Canadian literature.

Today, families, schools and libraries are encouraged to organize activities that showcase Canadian authors.

While we are unable to gather in person this year to celebrate, you can still be involved by reading Canadian books for just 15 minutes. This initiative was created as a collaboration between the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, children’s author and Guelph resident Eric Walters, the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers, and the Ontario Library Association.

This year’s theme, “now more than ever,” seeks to recognize the unprecedented events of the last year, to elevate Canadian authors and to celebrate both the breadth and diversity of their work.

Canadian authors can transport you from your home or classroom across the country to visit Green Gables, to travel on the Underground Railroad, to explore the Canadian Rockies and experience the fantastical world of Silverwing. We are lucky to have so many iconic Canadian authors, and with a country as unique and diverse as ours, it is no wonder that Canadian authors have produced literature that is equally as wide-ranging. Their stories have been enjoyed by generations, and I hope events such as this one will encourage young readers to continue engaging with these stories for many years to come.

While I cannot physically be with my grandsons this day, I joined them by video conference the other day to read Find Fergus by Albertan author Mike Boldt. In return, our grandson Jackson read me a story as well. These are moments that I will cherish forever and that I hope will teach my grandsons, Jackson and Connor, to have a love of reading throughout their lives, just as I have.

Colleagues, I hope you will join me today and every day in supporting Canadian literature by either buying, borrowing, reading or posting about Canadian books and their authors. Thank you. Meegwetch.