Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Alliance would like to welcome King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway for their first official visit to Canada.
Norwegians were the first western explorers to reach Canada. They were courageous fellow combatants during the war. As fellow northerners we share deep cultural roots with Norwegians and we face many of the same problems. We have much to learn from Norway about issues like aquaculture and offshore oil. Our relationship can only prosper from closer economic ties.
I wish in particular to thank Norwegians for their contribution to the growth and development of western Canada. Thousands of them moved west to find new opportunities in the early part of the last century. They suffered many hardships homesteading on the prairies, carving out the land for all Canadians to enjoy.
We hope the royals will be able to come again soon for a longer stay that will enable them to travel and meet people of Norwegian heritage in all parts of Canada including my assistant whose grandparents, named Moxness, came from Trondheim, Norway.
I say velkommen til Canada.