Debates of October 24, 2006 (day 14)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to welcome and reflect on the presence of so many people of the Armed Forces of various countries in the world who are touring the North on an extended training mission. Mr. Speaker, the military has had a long and very valued tradition of involvement and contribution and participation in this community, not only for the duty they have in Canada’s Arctic protecting the nation but with the very life and fabric of Yellowknife. I remember the establishment of what some might fondly recall as the “Yellow Submarine;" the first base here for the Armed Forces in Canada. Now we have a very modern, new building and facilities at the airport. This is a presence that I understand, Mr. Speaker, that is over time going to grow and I welcome that very much. Mr. Speaker, the people who are here with us today are, of course, representative of the role of the Armed Forces in Canada and in our North.

They also represent the service and the sacrifice of Canadians and many other of our allies in various places of the world that aren’t as peaceful and as free as the land that we live in, Mr. Speaker. I want to say that I am one Canadian who is very grateful for these people, for the sacrifice that they make when they put themselves in harm’s way because what they are doing, Mr. Speaker, is defending the very things that we are here doing. They are defending our freedom, speech, representation, democracy, sovereignty and those are things worth fighting for, Mr. Speaker.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause