Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to talk about a march that I participated in on October 2nd, I believe. It was organized by Alternatives North and it was with regard to Canada's involvement in the missile defence program with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, if I may read a couple quotes from the Polaris Institute's brochure, which is also on their website -- which would be polarisinstitute.org -- I would like to start with that. An Ipsos-Reid poll says, "Did you know 69 percent of Canadians disapprove of Canada joining the U.S. missile shield?" Mr. Speaker, I wasn't polled, but I agree with that quote. I don't believe we should be in it either. On the back of the brochure, I further quote an open letter to the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Paul Martin, "Canadian involvement in the U.S. missile defence would undermine decades of Canadian efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons. It would represent our acquiescence and willingness to become an active participant in a permanent nuclear future. As such, it
would directly collide with the wishes of the Canadian people, who have expressed overwhelming support for nuclear disarmament.
"True security can only be achieved by establishing relationships of mutual respect and cooperation, free of exploitation, with nations and peoples throughout the world.
That is what we, as Canadians, have always believed and proudly stood for, and that is the kind of Canada that we want now and in the future. Mr. Martin, we implore you -- and all Canadians -- to keep Canada out of missile defence."
Mr. Speaker, not everyone will agree with the Polaris Institute's point of view and I can respect that, however, we have to also look at the fact that not everyone out there would agree with the missile defence program either, so have to respect that side of the coin, too. Mr. Speaker, I implore our Prime Minister to reconsider this issue. Don't lead us down that dark path.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, in that brochure on the web page that I referred to it had 10 simple questions and simple answers. I'm just going to read the 10 questions and not the answers. They're pretty straightforward, Mr. Speaker. But at this time, before I do that, I'll ask for unanimous consent if I may finish my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.