Mr. Speaker, during the first week in September I had the privilege of being part of the Canadian delegation to the United Nations conference on population and development in Cairo, Egypt.
There were many significant things to be learned. One of the most interesting was an understanding as to how the world community views Canada. Canada is nation to be trusted. It is a nation turned to when issues are polarized and emotions are frayed.
We are truly the honest broker on the global stage. This is important for us to understand right now because initiatives here at home threaten to tear our country apart. For Canadians that means risking the loss of the rich culture and heritage that is so much a part of Quebec and her people. For the world there is a risk of loss of a great partner, the likes of which could never be replaced.