Mr. Speaker, last week, humanity reached the far side of the moon for the first time. It was an awe-inspiring and incredibly proud moment for Canada.
Humanity has gone to the far side of the moon. It is a moment of awe and a moment of pride. Artemis II did not just happen. No one just gifts Canada a seat. We are there because of decades of commitment to our space program. At home, millions of people watched the lift-off and landing in gatherings across Canada, breaking through the doomscrolling to celebrate together as we watched Canadian Space Agency astronauts Colonel Jeremy Hansen and Dr. Jenni Gibbons carry out their mission. What we say about Artemis is one thing, but what it says about us and what it says about Canada and Canadians is multitudes.
How big we are, and how small. In the images the astronauts sent back to Earth, some people were reminded of their love and care for the planet, our own fragile home. Others saw their faith in God or in the great cosmos affirmed. We all saw new beauty to behold and new mysteries to explore.