Mr. Speaker, last week was the Week of the Italian Language in the World.
Canada and Italy share strong ties forged by a common history and decades of cultural, economic and political co-operation. As the son of Italian immigrants, I take pride in this rich relationship that shaped my life and the lives of millions of Italian Canadians who have made notable contributions to our country.
On behalf of the Canada-Italy Interparliamentary Group, I invite all my colleagues to join us tomorrow at 5 p.m. for a reception with the theme “Italophony: Language Beyond Borders”.
The event will take place in the Speaker's dining room in the presence of His Excellency Alessandro Cattaneo, ambassador of Italy to Canada. It will be an opportunity to reaffirm the deep and lasting friendship between our two countries, and yes, there will be Italian food.