Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to the ongoing and courageous work being done by the 3rd battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment, which is now in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of Operation Palladium.
I had the pleasure of spending time with these troops during a training exercise in Valcartier last summer and was honoured to be deployed with them from November 20 to 30 in Bosnia.
Colonel Brazeau and Lieutenant-Colonel Mattern, who head this 1,500-member contingent, are ensuring the security of Bosnian citizens in southwestern Bosnia.
I was impressed by their professionalism and their devotion to their NATO mission.
Their presence and warm contacts with the civilian population are so completely typical of Quebecers and are greatly appreciated. Although their assignment is a tough one, I know that they will meet the challenge.
I wish to congratulate the troops. We will see them in Valcartier when they return from their mission.