Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to congratulate Nortel Networks on its celebration last week of independence day.
On May 1 Nortel Networks Corporation emerged as a widely held independent company as BCE Inc. released a plan to distribute virtually all of its ownership interest in the company.
Nortel is a global company with deep roots in Canada and in particular in my riding of Ottawa West—Nepean where it had its beginning decades ago as Northern Electric. The Ottawa region has the largest concentration of Nortel employees in the world and is the focal point for advanced research in all its business lines. It is the largest private sector employer in the national capital region.
In just the first four months of this year Nortel added more than 2,500 new employees and has now announced a new investment to create space for another 2,500 R and D staff in the national capital region.
I wish Nortel Networks continuing success as an independent, widely held global powerhouse.