I'd like to thank you, and I'd like to ask you to humour me for a minute. I haven't prepared remarks, but I have some remarks.
We all know about false pride, but we seldom hear about false humility. Let me tell you that it is with a sense of real humility that I accept the confidence you gave me today.
I thank you very much, Mr. Stoffer and the rest of the members of this committee.
I'm fully aware that I sit here at my first meeting of this committee and that there are a lot of other people here who have more merit than I do, both at this committee and in the House. I will take this responsibility very seriously. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't think that even the reason for our sitting here in this House comes more from the merits of the veterans who fought for our democracy, human rights and rule of law than we did.... The democracy that we defend was earned before it was earned by us—it was earned by veterans—and I think of it every day. It's not because I'm sitting here now that I'll stop thinking about it.
Thank you very, very much. I hope to work very well with you in working hard.
I understand that next Tuesday we're going to deal with the regular motions, the routine motions, and that with next Thursday being on a Friday schedule, we will not meet.
That's all I have to say. I thank you again.
Merci beaucoup.