Mr. Speaker, I call on all members of the House to join me in congratulating all parliamentarians of the Republic of Croatia for unanimously ratifying the Canadian led treaty to ban anti-personnel land mines.
One of the first countries to support and join the Ottawa process, Croatia became the 12th country to ratify this convention.
A foremost victim of land mines, up to three million mines were laid in areas of the country, blocking the safe return of refugees and displaced persons and further hampering attempts at development and reconstruction.
Through partnerships with other states, Canadian de-mining technology and expertise can help to eliminate the dangers of existing land mines in this region.