Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Lizon, it's good to see you, as we have had several discussions about this. Like Mr. Boughen, I did not know the circumstances of your past and I thank you for sharing that.
I always thought that Pope John Paul II was one of the ultimate diplomats of the world. One could argue that even his title would have given him that alone. It's one thing to have a big title, but you have to use it in the right way. According to the statistics here, 104 pastoral visits outside of Italy alone should tell you that the man had a grasp of the world. He had a grasp of the issues. I said in my speech, I'll never forget the time when I was a teenager and he visited our little island on the east coast, Newfoundland. It was quite something for all of us to see him there, as we had many Catholics on the island.
But this is not just for Catholics, as you said, as your background alone dictates. You are not Catholic. I am not Catholic, but I certainly endorse what it is you're doing here for what he did, whether it was the fall of communism, helping to feed the hungry, or World Youth Day. These are images and actions brought to us by a man who had a great title, but he did great things with that title.
When you set out to declare a day for him and what he has done, obviously you are looking at deeds beyond what he has done within the church. Is that correct?