Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 25th anniversary of the first space flight by a Canadian astronaut.
In the years since that first flight, we have created the Canadian Space Agency, deployed the Canadarm and helped build the international space station. We have sent eight astronauts into space on fifteen missions.
Today, 25 years after his first mission, we honour the first Canadian astronaut. We recognize his three trips to space, his six hundred and seventy-seven hours as a payload and mission specialist and his service as president of the Canadian Space Agency.
He is a Canadian hero and we in the House are privileged to count him as a colleague.
To the member for Westmount—Ville-Marie, congratulations, my friend. We are proud of you.