Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Prince George—Peace River and all future times of members of the official opposition will be shared as well.
My faith in the dignity of the human race, and my feeling of national pride have been bolstered by the testimonials I have heard about Canadians coming together to help their neighbours during the ice storm, a tragedy which left a large part of mid-Canada under a frozen blanket.
This event has demonstrated the strength and generosity of the Canadian people and has given us food for thought. We can reflect on the importance of family and of community, without which still more people would have suffered.
This terrible event has, however, also given us the opportunity to reflect on which it means to be a nation. We have heard the warm praises of our Armed Forces, who provided expertise and manpower during the clean-up stage. I too want to thank them for their good work.
We also heard praise for the public and private broadcasters and the listeners who served as links with the communities hit by the storm. They provided continuous information on when power would be restored, while also giving survival tips.
Community groups and local charities also contributed by donating food and money. Volunteers patiently listened to people who were often scared, confused and lonely. They all deserve our thanks and our respect.
I would like to tell my own little story to the House. Not only did the ice storm bring people from central Canada closer together, it also touched people in western Canada, where my riding is located.
An Edmonton businessman told my office about an idea which shows that westerners were truly saddened by the devastation experienced in central Canada. He wanted to send Ontarians and Quebeckers a message telling them they were not alone in their efforts to survive the storm.
My constituent, who is not a wealthy individual, donated greeting cards printed in French and in English. He owns a marketing company that produces greeting cards, and he thought this was a unique opportunity to take part in the relief effort.
These cards are currently being distributed in Edmonton's elementary schools, and the message printed on each of them is simple and sincere. It reads “Our thoughts and our prayers are with you. We simply wanted to give you a warm thought to help you make it through the winter”.
The children who received these cards added their own personal messages. Some of these messages tell the victims not to give up and embrace the good things in life, such as one's family and friends. Others share stories about obstacles that were overcome and send messages of hope.
It is now my great privilege to deliver these messages of hope to the children in the regions in Canada hit the hardest. The opportunity was given to me by a generous businessman, who is not prepared to sit still and do nothing while people he has never met are dealing with the consequences of this tragic event.
I would like to think him not only for his generosity and his community sprit and not only for giving me the opportunity to provide some help but also for reminding hundreds of children in the schools affected that we as Canadians are a family. Sometimes we argue, but, when the going gets tough, we are always there for each other.