moved for leave to introduce Bill C-455, an act to provide for a program giving financial assistance to high school students visiting overseas military memorial sites.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my seconder from Windsor—St. Clair and the person from Brandon—Souris who wanted to triple the bill.
The bill would allow the government to simply look at a program, to work with the provinces, the school boards and various veterans organizations, such as the Royal Canadian Legion, et cetera, to see if it is possible to encourage and financially assist high school students, some time during their high school year, to visit an overseas military site.
For those who were at Juno Beach for the opening on June 6 of this year, it was an extremely moving event to be with 900 veterans and their families.
The reality is that many Canadian young people simply do not have a complete understanding of what our soldiers and their families went through during our various wars and conflicts. I think this would be a great way to assist those young people in acquiring a better understanding of what our most hallowed veterans and their families went through during those times of crises and it could lead to everlasting peace throughout this world.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)