Mr. Speaker, by planting trees, cleaning up water courses, saving energy and learning more about ecology, Canadians are today celebrating Earth Day, along with millions of others throughout the world. This is a symbolic moment uniting all those concerned about protecting the health and integrity of species and human communities.
A century ago, North America was in the throes of industrial expansion. Concerns about the environment were pretty much an unknown concept at that time. Now we know that human activity that is not controlled can destroy ecosystems, render whole species extinct, and do harm to the climate and to health.
The new millennium is fast approaching. People are giving serious thought to the future, and to means of keeping the planet safe. Earth Day reminds us that, if we all work together, great things can be accomplished, and we can leave behind a healthy environment for the children of the next millennium.