Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw the attention of the House to a unique Canadian scientific initiative in my riding of Nickel Belt which will soon help unlock the secrets of our universe.
Sixty-four hundred feet underground in Inco's Creighton mine in the town of Walden, the finishing touches are being added to a neutrino observatory. Underground and shielded from cosmic rays, the observatory will study neutrinos, small particles emitted from the centre of the sun. The results could very well change our understanding of the universe and the very foundations of physics.
The observatory represents an international consortium made of Canadian governments, the U.S., the United Kingdom, universities and Inco Limited. It is a model of how governments and the private sector can partner to achieve great things. It is also a partnership led by Canadians.
I wish to extend my congratulations to all the contributors and in particular to Inco for showing us once again that mining in Canada is on the cutting edge-