Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the signature of a declaration of intent by the Secretary of State for Amateur Sport and the President of FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
This is the first step toward a bilateral agreement on soccer. It will promote the development of elite soccer in Canada, the full participation of women in soccer, and the harmonization of antidoping policies between FIFA and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
More and more young Canadians are interested in soccer. For this reason, the Government of Canada has created the Canadian Soccer Foundation.
Our government is very much committed to promoting participation in soccer in this country. I sincerely hope that our efforts will culminate in a successful World Cup bid in the near future.
In closing, may I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and much happiness and health in 2002.