Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, I had the pleasure of awarding 15 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals in recognition of the contributions, for the most part, by members of the Canadian Forces. These men and women of all ages have shown a level of commitment that we in our community are all proud of. I would like to thank the officials of the armoury in Trois-Rivières, the Naval Reserve and HMCS Ville de Québec for opening their doors to welcome the recipients with the full honours they deserve.
However, I would like to express my disappointment and sadness at the Minister of National Defence's refusal to grant me access to these locations, which deprived the medal recipients of a reception that they deserved in a location that has such significance to each one of them.
I would hate to think that this was a partisan decision, as that would imply that there are two classes of federal MPs. I would like to apologize to all those who were very pleased to be honoured on HMCS Ville de Québec. I assure them that they have and will always have my sincerest gratitude.