Mr. Speaker, the St. Lawrence River now has its flag and I am proud to point out this initiative of the Secrétariat à la mise en valeur du Saint-Laurent, a Quebec government organization responsible for promoting the St. Lawrence River, both in Quebec and around the world.
The importance of the St. Lawrence River can never be overemphasized. Sixty per cent of Quebec's population lives along its shores and 47 municipalities pump out 2 billion litres of water per day from the river for their drinking water.
According to the Quebec department of transport, the marine and port sector generates over $3 billion yearly. We are talking about over 27,000 jobs and a payroll in excess of one billion dollars.
The St. Lawrence flag is a reminder of the invaluable heritage that this great river. It also reflects our collective pride in this major resource.
The flag is a nice memento for VIPs, as well as a promotional item here and all over the world.
Congratulations to the Secrétariat à la mise en valeur du fleuve Saint-Laurent.