Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the Canada-Ireland Interparliamentary Friendship Group has been officially formed.
I wish to thank the hon. members from Egmont and Victoria—Haliburton for their good work in helping form this association. Also, thanks to former MP Mary Clancy who in the 35th Parliament chaired an informal association which helped prepare the ground for our formal friendship group.
The Canada-Ireland association has been formally launched with 56 members from the House and Senate. All five political parties, even the Reform Party, in every region of Canada are represented.
I am honoured to be elected first president of this association and I look forward to welcoming many more members.
Our major goal is clear, to maintain and strengthen the historic bonds of friendship between our two great nations, Canada and Ireland.