Mr. Speaker, something new is in the air. There is a vibrancy and an enthusiasm that I have not felt for quite some time. Canadians are coming out of political hibernation and taking a new interest in politics. Why? The Canadian Alliance is filling the leadership vacuum in this country. For far too long true leadership in government has been missing. Canadians have been deliberately lulled into complacency by a Liberal government satisfied with the status quo, and distracted by a seatless leader who does not know which battles to fight.
These days are over. True leadership is not measured by where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy. Those times are upon us.
The alliance leadership race is provoking Canadians to think, to discuss and, most importantly, to determine the course of their future. It is indeed a welcome change and one that will surely lead Canadians to their full potential.