Mr. Speaker, June 24 is Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, the day on which we honour the patron saint of the city of Montreal. Today, both personally and on behalf of my constituents of Vancouver East, I would like to wish all Quebecers a happy holiday.
As a native of Turin, Italy, a city which shares the same patron saint, I know how important holidays like this are. I hope that June 24 will be a happy day for all Quebecers and I also hope that it will be celebrated together by all, as Canadians, in the years to come.
From my home on the Pacific coast all the way to the Atlantic coast and from the American border to the North Pole, Canadians want to strengthen the ties that bind Canada's provinces and territories and work together to resolve their problems and foster a more acceptable climate for all. As the saying goes, united we stand and united we must remain.
Happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste day to all Canadians.