Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the mover of the bill. I am sure that every branch of the legion in communities from coast to coast to coast will be pleased with it. All of the legion branches in my riding know about the bill.
As I said this morning, I have been around a long time. I was a principal during the 1960s and during that time there was a battle going on. Part of that battle was that we were not getting the support nor were our veterans getting the support that they deserved. Our national media carried all kinds of documentaries which said for example that Billy Bishop was not a good flyer or that our air force was no good, that they dumped their bombs and went home. Everything possible was done to try to destroy things and I had to fight it. Finally we have a book that should be in every library. I am proud to have the book No Greater Glory which is signed by Barney Danson, a former minister of veterans affairs. Every school should own a copy.
I would like the member who moved the bill to imagine the impact if all grades in every school division across Canada paused and took the time to consider the importance of this date. We would make sure that this was on Vimy Ridge Day.
I want to read what appears on the veterans affairs website:
The Canadian success at Vimy marked a profound turning point for the allies. A year and a half later, the Great War was over. The Canadian record, crowned by the achievements at Vimy, won for Canada a separate signature on the Versailles Peace Treaty ending the war. Back home, the victory at Vimy, won by troops from every part of the country, helped unite many Canadians in pride at the courage of their citizen soldiers, and established a feeling of real nationhood.
I believe Bill C-409 would have an impact .
With respect to the flag and naming the day, I too have a bill, if it ever gets drawn, that would put even more teeth into the present bill. My bill would require that not just the Peace Tower fly the flag at half-mast in November but that all federal government buildings from coast to coast to coast do it.
I would suggest to the House that this bill will pass after it comes back from committee. I would suggest to my colleague and other members opposite that if my bill ever makes it and it becomes votable, it too will pass.
Congratulations to my hon. colleague for a bill well presented, a bill which we on this side of the House unquestionably support. We will send it to committee with our blessings. Let us hope that it becomes part of our heritage, something that we always protect when it comes to our military successes both in World War I and World War II.