Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the 350th anniversary of Laval University. An offshoot of the Séminaire de Québec, Laval University was the first French-language university in America. With its culture of rigour, spirit of innovation and quest for excellence, it has educated and granted degrees to more than 280,000 people over the years.
Open to the world and engaged in its community, Laval University's vision is inspiring and promising: it aspires to be one of the best universities in the world and at the same time one of the main standard-bearers for the preservation of the French fact in America.
I hope that on this important anniversary the Liberal government will confirm that it will help establish the Institut nordique du Québec. Completely forgotten in the last budget, this project led by Laval University is creating a group that brings together Quebec expertise in the major sectors of nordic and Arctic research.