Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand today to speak about an amazing internship program that finished last week.
Since it was established in 1991, the Canada-Ukraine parliamentary program has seen students from across Ukraine have the opportunity to intern in parliamentary offices and experience first-hand the work we do here in the House of Commons.
This year, 31 university students travelled from Ukraine to Canada and joined offices on both sides of the House, where they were exposed to our parliamentary procedures and the democratic system used in Canada. Though coming from diverse educational backgrounds, these students have now returned to Ukraine where they will share the knowledge and experience they have gained during their stay.
With more than 1.3 million Canadians tracing roots to Ukraine, it is easy to understand why programs such as CUPP are important in further strengthening the relationship between our two countries. I know, in my own office, we were fortunate to be exposed to many new and interesting aspects of Ukrainian culture.
I would like to thank, personally, all of the offices that were involved in this great program.