Mr. Speaker, today marks the seventh annual Canadian Beer Day, a day to celebrate Canadian beer and our world-class brewers, large and small, that brew from coast to coast to coast. Celebrated each year on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Canadian Beer Day brings Canadians together to celebrate the economic, social and cultural contributions of brewing across this country.
Canadian beer is more than just a refreshing beverage; it is part of who we are as Canadians. This day is a toast to the family farmers growing the finest barley in western Canada, to the proud breweries of my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador and to the maltsters, warehouse workers, truck drivers, retailers and bartenders who bring it from field to glass.
Our brewers are at the heart of our communities, large and small, urban and rural. Together, they directly employ 24,000 Canadians and support more than 149,000 jobs across the beer value chain—