Mr. Speaker, it is with a great sense of pride and humility that I move the motion on the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.
I would like to pay my humble respects to Her Excellency the Governor General and thank Her Excellency for delivering the speech today.
As well, I would like to thank the Right Hon. Prime Minister for bestowing this honour upon me and the riding of Northumberland to bring forward the motion on the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.
I would like to thank the people of Northumberland who have placed their trust and confidence in me to represent their interests in the House. As their member, I vow to work in conjunction with my colleagues to address the concerns and challenges that we face today and in the future.
To my predecessor, the hon. Christine Stewart, I extend my personal regards for her 12 years of dedicated service to her riding, to her colleagues and to her nation. She has been an inspiration to all of us. On behalf of my colleagues I thank her for giving so much to so many.
I would like to thank my family who are with me today for their endless motivation, inspiration and support. I am reminded of the importance of family and it is a value I cherish. Today's speech has demonstrated the commitment of the government to support families and children.
To you, Mr. Speaker, I extend my sincere congratulations on your election as Speaker of the House. You have earned the confidence and support of your colleagues to guide us through the many complex issues that face us.
Today, as I reflect on the history that surrounds this Chamber and the Fathers of Confederation, I am reminded of a lawyer who practised law for 15 years in the riding of Northumberland, who bore the name James Cockburn. On November 6, 1867, he was unanimously chosen as the first Speaker of the House. Indeed Northumberland has strong roots within Confederation and to the Speaker's chair.
It is a privilege to say that I hail from one of the best ridings in the country. Northumberland is a picturesque riding, with vast rolling land and freshwater lakes to the north and south borders. Along the east and west borders of Northumberland we have the Trent Severn waterway and the Ganaraska River, both opening into Lake Ontario.
These bodies of water remind all of my constituents that fresh, clean water is something to be cherished and enjoyed. This is part of the positive quality of life experienced in Northumberland and it needs to be preserved so it may be shared with others.
Canada, as a country with one of the largest masses of fresh water in the world, needs to continue to demonstrate its commitment to the environment and to protect this great natural resource. Fresh water is our future.
In my riding we rely heavily upon natural resources to ensure the success of one of our largest industries, and that is agriculture. I know firsthand the farming way of life because I come from five generations of farmers. I am proud to say that my great great-grandfather introduced the first Holstein cattle into Northumberland in 1884. Since then we have come a long way, yet there is much work to be done.
Our rural voices must continue to be strong in supporting our food supply system, for agriculture is not only a way of life in my riding, it is a way of life for so many across this great nation of ours.
We cannot stand by and allow the family farm to die. We must as a government provide support for the farming community in their time of need.
I am very pleased to see today that our government has pledged to work with the agricultural community to move beyond crisis management, to support them in their time of need and to ensure that family farms that helped build our nation prosper once again.
As a member of this House and a representative of the people of Northumberland, I have pledged to bring forward the concerns of my constituents on the issue of agriculture. It is important that we continue to support the family farm, which has been a cornerstone of our Canadian heritage.
I am very optimistic when envisioning our future. In today's knowledge based economy, innovation and creative thinking are the currency of success. Our government is investing in today's pioneers because they are the architects of our future.
By such investment in knowledge and innovation, we are laying down a strong foundation for a stronger nation. The building blocks of our foundation are found in our youth and to make them strong requires education and opportunity.
With the introduction of programs, such as the Canadian opportunities strategy, the Canadian government is opening more doors to post-secondary education than ever before. The Canadian millennium scholarships are the centre of this strategy and will provide more than 100,000 scholarships to low and middle income students for the next 10 years.
As a government, we are strengthening the institutions where learning and research take place. Canadian universities and laboratories will benefit from programs, such as the Canada foundation for innovation and the networks of centres of excellence, as a means of expanding future opportunities through education.
Locally in my riding, I have taken the initiative to integrate technology, research and innovation through the municipal, provincial and federal governments. I have launched a research, innovation and technology advisory committee to establish seamless connections between all levels of government and all aspects of our community. By bringing together these key groups my constituents have the opportunity to work together to shape the vision of our future as a riding.
Today's throne speech exemplifies the commitment by the government to Canadians young and old.
We have once again demonstrated our ability as a government to respond to the needs of Canadians while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The speech not only affirms Canada's position at the forefront of a knowledge based economy, but it stresses that concerns about health care and early childhood development shall be answered by the government.
We have demonstrated time and time again that we are a government that supports all those in our society while looking after the fiscal needs of our country. As a government we continue to reflect the Liberal values on which we were elected.
We are a growing country, a country of which to be proud. We are a nation that has again been named the best country in the world in which to live. We are a country where people are recognized for their cultural diversity, varying interests and are motivated toward keeping Canada the best country in the world in which to live.
In conclusion, I would like to remind all hon. members of the House, regardless of our party loyalties, that Canadians from coast to coast have spoken. We have been chosen to hear their voices, address their concerns and instil confidence in them that we are fighting the same battle, the battle to make Canada the very best.
I extend to you, Mr. Speaker, and all members of the House my best wishes. I am certain that this parliament will stand as the best in history. Let us leave our legacy now to drive the future.
I hereby move, seconded by the hon. member for Laval East, that the following address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:
To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.
May it please Your Excellency:
We, Her Majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects, the House of Commons of Canada, in parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.