Mr. Speaker, I invite all my colleagues to applaud the government's initiative to support President Mandela in his efforts to fight racial discrimination in his country and internationally.
As we know, President Mandela is one of the most credible and most respected world leaders in terms of the advancement of social justice, and our country has recognized this yesterday by making him a Companion of the Order of Canada.
The Canadian government's support of the “Nelson Mandela Children's Fund” campaign naturally fits in with our country's tradition, a country that has been championing the cause of peace and human rights around the world for years.
Our contribution to this initiative also gives an international dimension to the annual national campaign against racism and discrimination that the government and many Canadians have been leading for the past nine years: the March 21 campaign.
As we move into the 21st century, we must work even more diligently with the inspiration and spirit of one of the great heroes of our history, Mr. Mandela, to eradicate all forms of racism and discrimination in Canada and around the world.