Mr. Speaker, this is a historic day in Canadian foreign policy. I join with all my colleagues in Parliament in welcoming to Ottawa the many distinguished guests who are gathered for the treaty signing conference and the Mine Action Forum.
Not only are we witnesses to the historic signing of the convention and the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and their destruction, we have made history. We have ensured that the new international norm against anti-personnel mines is fundamentally encoded in a legally binding treaty.
We have participated in a remarkable global effort. I take this opportunity to commend not only our Minister of Foreign Affairs but also all those NGOs that have participated in this remarkable occasion.