Mr. Speaker, on March 25 Canadians of Hellenic descent will be celebrating the anniversary of the liberation of their former homeland from the Ottoman Empire. In 1821, after 400 years of oppression from the Turkish regime, the Hellenes, with the help of heroes such as Lord Byron of England, helped restore freedom to Greece, the birthplace of democracy.
It is my hope that as we enter the next millennium the current provocations and tensions in this region will be completely eliminated. It is my suggestion that both nations should now concentrate on infrastructure and economic development.
The energies of their people, particularly their youth, should be focused on creating a peaceful environment which, in turn, will lead to a prosperous future.
As John Lennon of the Beatles once said, please give peace a chance.