Mr. Speaker, people of Syria are in mourning following the sudden death of President Hafez al-Assad. The funeral of the late president of Syria was held today at his birthplace, the village of Quardaha in northern Syria. Dignitaries from around the world, including our Minister of Foreign Affairs, are paying their respects to the late leader.
As the first Syrian born Canadian member of parliament, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending condolences to the people of Syria and the al-Assad family. I hope that a peaceful transition of power will contribute to the ongoing peace process in the Middle East.