Mr. Speaker, the fall sitting of parliament ending today has been extraordinary. From the first day our thoughts and legislative agenda have been dominated by the tragic events of September 11. We have sent our armed forces into combat, have been asked to grant our security forces unprecedented powers and have tried to reach out to our southern neighbours without sacrificing our national integrity and sovereignty. We have struggled not to destroy the very values we are trying to secure.
At the same time we have tried to maintain the regular business of this place so as not to concede to the disorder that is the very goal of the perpetrators of terrorism. We have called for a budget that would stand shoulder to shoulder with Canadians and invest in our future by strengthening the bedrock of civil society: the health, social and environmental needs of this great nation. In the coming year, together with our leader, the NDP caucus will continue to challenge the government's agenda.
But for now, Mr. Speaker, we pause to wish you and all of our colleagues the best of the season. We wish for you what we wish for ourselves: a holiday of thoughtfulness and rest, of assessment and compassion, a time to look back on the unbelievable year just passed and a time to plan for a new year of work informed by respect for each person's worth and by love for one another.