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An
MP Birthday
Innisfil Enterprise
April 25, 2007
By Peter Van Loan, MP, York-Simcoe
April 18th was my birthday - and it proved
to be an interesting day in Ottawa for me.
Being Wednesday, we had our weekly Caucus
meeting - providing an opportunity for all
my Conservative colleagues to extend
birthday greetings.
This was followed by a gathering of my
staff, complete with a cake baked by my
Director of Parliamentary Affairs, and an
almost in tune singing of Happy Birthday.
I am known for my appreciation of Canada's
founding Prime Minister Sir John A.
Macdonald. My weekly presentation to Caucus
always begins with a Macdonald story. As a
special treat, my staff had arranged for a
tour of his restored original office in East
Block, as well as that of his political
partner, Georges Etienne Cartier. I was
thrilled. The guide even indulged me the
opportunity to sit at his desk.
Following that, I chaired our Cabinet
Question Period preparation meeting - but
while it took place, a surprise visitor
dropped by my office. It was former Prime
Minister Brian Mulroney. He signed the guest
book to prove his visit. I caught up with
him outside, and my young staffers were
delighted to get a chance to meet him.
The evening finished with an event held by
the Ukrainian Embassy and Ukrainian
Canadians to honour Mulroney for his
principled stand in favour of Ukrainian
freedom and independence - at a time when
other western democracies were waiting to
see how things turned out.
Both Stephen Harper and Brian Mulroney gave
speeches that stirred my soul - pointing out
the consistent commitment of our Party to
freedom, democracy and human rights on the
world stage. It is a principled approach
that has drawn critics from among the
sophisticated elites who believe we can't
interfere with other countries, or their
cultures.
But as the Prime Ministers declared and
reminded us, freedom, democracy and human
rights are universally sought, and we have
an obligation to advance them across
humanity.
That principled conservative approach is why
I chose to be a conservative when I was
still a boy. As an Estonian, from a family
that suffered at the hands of Soviet
Communism, and came to Canada in search of
freedom, hope and opportunity It reminded me
of the reason I chose to get involved in
politics. Our freedom and democracy is to be
cherished, not taken for granted. It is
fragile, and must be defended. It can be a
matter of life, and death, to millions.
It was a worthy end, to an unusual and
wonderful day.
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