Mr. Speaker, today millions of people around the world are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. It is a day when our thoughts turn to our faith, shamrocks and the wearing of the green.
For me this is a special day. It is a chance to reflect on and celebrate my heritage and the important role our Irish ancestors have played here in Canada.
Irish people, like my family and those throughout this land, have made a significant contribution to help keep Canada whole.
In the mid-1800s thousands of Irish immigrants fleeing famine and poverty came to Canada for a better life. Many settled in Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley and helped make it the very special place it is today.
To paraphrase a famous saying, it is on a day like today when we realize there are only two types of people in the world, those who are Irish and those who wish they were Irish.