Mr. Speaker, November 20 will mark the 158th anniversary of the birth of Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
Our seventh prime minister was a true Canadian, a man who believed in the virtue of tolerance and national unity. He provided Canadians with a legacy of bringing English and French speaking Canadians together in harmony in a united Canada.
Laurier's vision of the Canadian reality and his leadership gave our country the push forward and the confidence it needed at a critical moment in history. The opening of the Canadian west and the formation of the Canadian navy all occurred under his watch.
Professor Granatstein in his book Who Killed Canadian History? , comments that the knowledge of our history is disappearing. We need to honour our heroes. I urge the government to proclaim a day of recognition for our seventh prime minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier.