Mr. Speaker, last week I had the honour of travelling to China with several of my colleagues from the House and Senate to participate in the first meeting of the Canada-China Legislative Association.
This new association was created under the sponsorship of Speaker Parent, Speaker Molgat and that of the chair of the Chinese National People's Congress, Mr. Li Peng.
Our counterparts from the standing committee of the National People's Congress were Jiang Xin Xiong, Zheng Yi, Zeng Jianhui, Lu Congmin, Liu Zheng, Tao Xiping, Wang Shuming, Jamyang Losang Jigme Tubain Qoigyi Nyima, and Yang Zhenhuai.
Together we covered a wide range of topics of importance to legislators from the functioning of our respective governments to many of the more difficult issues we all face: respect for the rights of minorities, the rule of law, the development of a civil society, human rights, protection of the environment and much more.
Together we began a process which I believe will deepen the already positive relationships that exist between our two countries.