Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the residents in my riding of Oak Ridges, I would like to convey our deepest sympathies and prayers to the families of the horrific events of September 11 and to the American people.
I would also like to express our gratitude to every Canadian who has contributed to the relief effort, from giving blood, to donating money, to being part of the relief efforts directly.
Words cannot convey, and it is difficult to comprehend the evil that launched the cowardly attacks on thousands of innocent people.
In our response as a nation we must be prepared to participate in the struggle against the forces of international terrorism, to strike at their financial backers, to increase and support our security intelligence apparatus and, where appropriate, respond through enhanced legislation to meet this threat.
We began the examination yesterday and it continues today on perhaps one of the most important debates that we will ever have. In waging a war against terrorism, we cannot forget that this is not a battle against community or faith. We must balance our needs for security with our belief in freedom, justice and tolerance.