Mr. Speaker, the flag on the Peace Tower flies at half mast today in memory of a great Canadian who brought much honour to our country and much enlightenment to human understanding of the world in which we live.
Dr. Gerhard Herzberg came to Canada from Germany in 1935. He regarded Saskatoon, his first home in Canada, as his Canadian birthplace, although he lived much of his life in Ottawa and did most of his work here at the National Research Council.
Although he was an astrophysicist, he nonetheless became Canada's first Nobel Laureate for chemistry. He made his latest major discovery of triatomic hydrogen when he was nearly 80. He continued his active research at the NRC until the age of 90 and he was a lifelong ardent advocate of research in Canada.
Canada and the world owe Dr. Herzberg much for his life's work and we extend our gratitude and sympathy to his family.