Madam Speaker, most electricity is transmitted throughout the world, thanks to the innovations of a remarkable man named Nikola Tesla.
In 1898, a group of Hamilton businessmen consulted with the young genius to build a generating station 35 miles away at DeCew Falls, which brought power to the city and was the second longest transmission in the world at that time. That generator, which is still in use, provided Hamilton with cheap, abundant electricity and helped make us a manufacturing centre.
Last July, in his honour, an important roadway in my riding was named “Nikola Tesla Boulevard”. The local Serbian community, led by Vic Djurdjevic, started the Nikola Tesla Educational Corporation and raised over a quarter of a million dollars to support the project, pay for the new signage, and create scholarships for young scientists in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions.
I ask all members of the House to join my community in paying tribute to a remarkable man, whose work has benefited the entire world, Nikola Tesla.