Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to speak on behalf of the Conservative government to Bill C-17, An Act to recognize Beechwood Cemetery as the national cemetery of Canada.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of the member for Ottawa—Vanier on this file. I would also like to note the efforts of my good friend, the member for Ottawa—Orléans, who seconded this motion and with whom I will be splitting my time. I would also like to specifically acknowledge the work of the Minister of the Environment, who put a lot of effort into this project to finally make it a reality.
The recognition of Beechwood Cemetery as the national cemetery of Canada would serve as an eloquent symbol for our country. This unique recognition would confer upon Beechwood Cemetery the honour of being a national place of tribute.
I would like to talk a little bit about what makes Beechwood the right choice for being recognized as the national cemetery. Beechwood is a reflection of Canada's identity as a multicultural, multi-faith society with sections reserved for the Chinese, Greek, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Polish, Lebanese and other ethnocultural communities.
Monuments to St. Charbel, Our Lady of Fatima, Élizabeth Bruyère, and St. Marguerite d'Youville are visible on the grounds. Beechwood is also the home of the Chinese Cemetery of Ottawa, designed according to Chinese religious principles and distinguished by a pagoda to honour the community's ancestors. An aboriginal tribute garden is also in the planning stages.
Over the past decade the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation has worked hard to set the foundation for its inevitable recognition as the national cemetery of Canada.
In 2001 Beechwood became the National Military Cemetery for the Canadian Forces. In 2002 it was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. In 2004 the RCMP National Memorial Cemetery was established here. Finally, in 2007 the veterans sections administered by Veterans Affairs Canada and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were amalgamated with the National Military Cemetery.
In April 2008 the multi-million dollar Beechwood National Memorial Centre was opened to serve the memorial and commemorative needs of all Canadians. The facility features an imposing sacred space area, adjoining reception rooms, and a Hall of Colours, featuring the laid up colours of Canada's military regiments. The sacred space area was designed after extensive consultation with leaders of major faith groups to better serve the needs of Canada's diverse faith communities. It is believed to be the first centre of its kind in the world.
The national cemetery of Canada proposal arises from a collaborative effort between the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation and the Government of Canada. The costs of interments would continue to be the responsibility of various federal departments and agencies as appropriate: National Defence for the burial of military personnel in the National Cemetery of the Canadian Forces; the RCMP for the burial of members and their immediate families in the National Memorial Cemetery; Veterans Affairs Canada offers a program to assist the families of veterans with the burial of those who served Canada; Canadian Heritage for state funerals and the interment of governors general and prime ministers; and the Parks Canada Agency for the maintenance of the gravesites of Canadian prime ministers.
Through its 135 years of existence, Beechwood has proudly evolved into a leading multicultural, multi-faith cemetery in the nation, and remains an outstanding cultural landscape, which expresses the values and beliefs of many important and distinct cultural communities in Canada.
For generations to come, Beechwood Cemetery will continue to provide a symbolic venue to honour prominent Canadians, including former prime ministers, governors general, those who fought valiantly to promote democratic values and to ensure world peace and security, and the men and women who have shaped the course of Canada's history.
I would now like to share my time with my colleague, the member for Ottawa—Orléans.