Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank our Prime Minister for his commitment to the advancement of women and women's issues. In fact, Liberal governments both past and present have always supported the advancement of women in society.
It was under a Liberal government that Canada saw its first woman Speaker of the House of Commons and the first woman Governor General. It was under our Prime Minister that a Liberal government appointed a woman as Canada's first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Right Hon. Beverley McLachlin. It was our present Prime Minister who appointed the first woman Commissioner of Official Languages, Madam Dyane Adam. Also, since taking office our Prime Minister has made sure that half of all Canadians appointed to the Senate are women.
Again our Prime Minister made history. On January 15, 2001, he appointed the first woman to occupy the position of chief government whip, the hon. member for Ottawa West—Nepean. I congratulate both the Prime Minister and the member for Ottawa West—Nepean for this milestone.