Mr. Speaker, today I would like to wish Canada's next astronaut a successful voyage.
Julie Payette, Canada's newest star in the sky, will blast off on May 20 in the space shuttle Discovery , bound for the new international space station.
A mission specialist, Julie will be using her engineering and technical skills to assist in building the new orbiting facility. She will be part of a crew of seven who will add a pair of cargo doors to the station as it orbits 400 kilometres above the earth.
Julie, a native Montrealer, is a most outstanding individual. An award winning engineer who speaks several languages, an accomplished classical soprano, an athlete, a trained jet pilot and a sparkling personality, she exemplifies the best that Canada has to offer.
I say good luck and bon voyage.