Mr. Speaker, on this day 45 years ago the governments of Canada and the United States first created Norad.
Norad has been one of the cornerstones of defence cooperation between Canada and the United States since 1958. Throughout the cold war Norad guarded the northern approaches to our shared continent providing security for Canadians and Americans alike. Norad has since evolved in response to changes in the international security environment.
It demonstrated its flexibility and reaffirmed its utility during that infamous day in September 2001 when it helped restore order to the skies over North America and demonstrated a reassuring presence in the weeks and months thereafter.
I am sure that all members of the House will join me today in congratulating past and present Canadian Forces members assigned to Norad for a job well done, and wish this critical and important organization continued success in the future.