Mr. Speaker, October is Women's History Month. This year, Women's History Month pays special recognition to the contribution of francophone women in Canada's history.
One francophone woman who is making history today is Julie Payette, the first French-speaking Canadian female astronaut. Julie has been accumulating honours and awards of excellence since college. She is a wonderful role model for young women, proudly proving that there are no limits to what we can achieve.
Although her formal education is in science and engineering, her contribution to the arts is also noteworthy. She is an excellent pianist and has sung with a number of choirs both in Canada and abroad. Furthermore, Julie speaks French, English, Spanish, Italian and Russian.
In June 1992, the Canadian Space Agency selected her as an astronaut and four years later she began training as a mission specialist at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.
This past May, Julie Payette climbed aboard the space shuttle Discovery and headed for the International Space Station.
The success of her recent 10-day mission on the shuttle Discovery and at the International Space Station is a source of pride for all Canadians. She is also an inspiration to young women across Canada, encouraging them to follow their dreams in pursuing careers in non-traditional work.