Mr. Speaker, cricket has come to Ottawa. Today we are joined by Canadians representing over 300,000 women and men who play cricket across our country and millions who watch and cheer the sport.
Today is the third annual cricket match between Canadian parliamentarians and the Commonwealth diplomats, when they will square off and pitch for peace. Today is more than just about sports. It is about building friendships across the world celebrating cricket's growth here in Canada. For many MPs, senators and diplomats, today will be their first time playing cricket, but it will not be their last. I want to thank all the representatives of cricket who have joined us from coast to coast to coast. I thank Hassan Mirza, president of Canadian College and University Cricket, for his leadership and help in putting this together.
Canada needs to invest in our young cricketers representing us all over the world. We are hopeful that we can continue to pitch for peace to build a stronger nation.