Mr. Speaker, the bill to provide for the recognition of the Canadian horse as the national horse of Canada affects many Quebecers and particularly breeders. It is therefore a pleasure for us to represent them by taking part in this debate.
In perusing Bill C-329, we learn that the horse was sent by the King of France, was invaluable to settlers in their efforts to survive and prosper. We learn that the horse has a number of fine qualities, including strength, endurance, intelligence and good temper.
We also learn that it was nearly lost at one point through interbreeding and casualties in war. Allow me to add a few points, because I believe it is important to understand the history of this exceptional animal and see how it developed.
The very first horse to touch the soil in New France arrived in Quebec City on June 25, 1647. At that time it was called the Canadian horse, and there were no horses in this part of North America. The region's dense and broad forests effectively prevented crossbreeding with other types of horses. There was no possibility of interbreeding with the breeds of horse brought in by the English and by the Spaniards in the south.
It was only after 1759 that export to the United States and crossbreeding with other types of horse became a possibility, and the numbers of the purebred Canadian horse began to decrease.
Sometime around 1880, faced with the real threat of the breed's disappearance, people decided to act. Quebecers like François Pilote, Édouard Barnard and, particularly, Dr. J.A. Couture, a veterinarian, decided to ensure the species' survival by selecting and breeding the best of the remaining horses. Dr. Couture, among others, gathered in a breed book all of the subjects combining the breed's distinctive characteristics to ensure their protection.
Thus, through this brief history, we can see that the Canadian horse arrived and was bred in Quebec. Those who raised and trained them were the inhabitants of what would become Quebec. These same people took steps to ensure that this symbol of strength and pride would not disappear from our continent.
In the light of these facts, it would be a good idea perhaps for any future recognition of this horse as the national horse to contain greater reference to Quebecers' contribution to its survival and conservation.
Furthermore, since the government of Quebec is currently considering a similar request, it seems more in keeping with history that any recognition of this breed as a national emblem should come from the Quebec National Assembly rather than from the House of Commons.