Mr. Speaker, the House has heard many great and eloquent speeches in its time. Few have been delivered with the moral authority we heard this morning.
Václav Havel is a very special individual. His conscience called on him to suffer the trials of being a dissident. A sense of duty demanded that he assume the highest political office in his country. However, the greatest contribution he has made is to warn us that evil can only triumph when good people look away.
Winston Churchill once said that the greatest virtue was courage. The life of the man who spoke to us today is a model of courage and is a great legacy to his country.
As a member of parliament, I was also pleased to hear an echo of many values that the Reform Party stands for and why I am here. I was especially moved by his demands that we recognize that the individual, regardless of status or wealth, is more important than the state.
I know the House will join me in expressing our profound admiration to Havel the man, and our respect to the President of the Czech Republic.