Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute today to the 60,000 strong Korean community of the lower mainland. The Korean business community has significantly contributed to economic development in greater Vancouver. Korean cultural institutions have played a major role in the diversity of the region.
The Korean community has issues it hopes this Parliament addresses, such as establishing a permanent memorial for Korean veterans in Central Park on land donated by Burnaby City Council and Mayor Derek Corrigan; providing better business support and immigration settlement services and English as a second language courses; and building a seniors care centre that would allow elderly Koreans to receive the care they so richly deserve within their own language and culture.
The Korean community is also concerned about the continuing human rights violations in North Korea and looks to the government to intervene. I hope the foreign affairs committee will hold hearings on this issue in the fall.
To all members of the Korean community in Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam and elsewhere, we thank them for their rich and profound contribution to our communities and our Canada.