Mr. Speaker, what a great weekend we had in Medicine Hat when our family got together to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my aunt and uncle, Art and Margaret Dirkson. Participating in this celebration gave me occasion to reflect again on my rich family heritage of love, trust and commitment to each other, and of an enduring faith in God.
My grandparents were able to make Canada their home in the early 1920s, having crossed the ocean in a cattle freighter. They came to Saskatchewan with their 10 children, my aunt Margaret being just a toddler at that time. The Epp family has a tradition of longevity, both in life and in marriage. My grandparents enjoyed over 65 years of marriage and last year we celebrated my parent's 60th anniversary. Now my dad's little sister has gone for 50.
As with a family, so with a country. We value faithfulness and endurance. A family stays together for the long haul by a deep commitment to each other and the regular practice of forgiveness. Why not apply this principle to our country as well? Let us keep our families and our country together.