Mr. Speaker, recently the Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr. John Bruton and his wife, Finola Bruton, visited Canada. Mr. Bruton, whose title in Irish is Taoiseach, visited several cities, including Ottawa.
As a Canadian member of Parliament of Irish descent, I was honoured to be invited along with several of my colleagues by our Prime Minister to meet and dine with Prime Minister Bruton.
In his excellent comments that evening Mr. Bruton praised Canada as a nation of diverse peoples who have learned to respect our differences and live together in peace.
As the people of Quebec prepare to vote in the referendum on October 30, it is the fervent hope of other Canadians that Quebecers will choose to remain a very important and cherished partner in a united Canada.