Mr. Speaker, ever since the first Canadian travelled to space in 1984, our Canadian astronauts have held a special place in our hearts. Names such as Chris Hadfield and Roberta Bondar are synonymous with the values of courage, curiosity and hard work. Just 14 Canadian men and women have travelled to space, but that number will soon be 15 thanks to Henry Wolfond. On Friday, he will venture beyond the limits of this Earth as part of Blue Origin's New Shepard mission.
A successful businessman, lawyer, fierce community advocate and family man, Henry will soon be able to add astronaut to his already impressive CV. This is not the apex of his incredible story; it is just the beginning. I would tell him that the sky is the limit, but for someone as extraordinary as he is, even that is not enough. As Henry embarks on this mission, he will see the Earth from above, without any dividing lines or the conflicts that separate us, on his journey of his own campaign to end the pervasive anti-Semitism on this planet. We stand with him, looking up. I say to Hank, good luck, Godspeed and may all parts of the mission be a resounding success.