H.R. No. 277 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Canada and the United States have long enjoyed a 1-2 mutually rewarding relationship based on respect, cooperation, and 1-3 international friendship, and in that spirit, the Ministry of 1-4 Natural Resources of the Province of Ontario, Canada, recently 1-5 offered its assistance to halt the spread of rabies in Texas; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Efforts to combat this life-threatening epidemic 1-7 have steadily increased since the first life was claimed by the 1-8 canine strain of the virus in South Texas in 1988, and the 1-9 ministry's advice and technical assistance in an oral rabies 1-10 vaccination project have provided the best hope yet of containing 1-11 and eradicating the disease; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided 1-13 specially equipped aircraft needed to drop vaccine-laced bait to 1-14 the coyote population in South Texas, and many of their best 1-15 pilots, engineers, and support crews traveled thousands of miles to 1-16 aid the Texas Department of Health in carrying out this crucial 1-17 project; and 1-18 WHEREAS, Precision flying by the Canadian pilots enabled 1-19 public health officials to drop the vaccine along an arc stretching 1-20 from Laredo to San Antonio to Corpus Christi, thus creating a 1-21 barrier of vaccinated coyotes that should prevent the rabies 1-22 outbreak from spreading northward; this represents a major step 1-23 forward in the battle to protect children and adults alike from the 1-24 deadly threat of rabies; and 2-1 WHEREAS, In addition to expressing appreciation to the people 2-2 of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the 2-3 members of this chamber would like to personally recognize the 2-4 following individuals for their outstanding efforts and extend to 2-5 each of them the prestigious title of Honorary Texan: Daniel Robert 2-6 Marshall, Mike Power, Chris Nunan, Mike Pedde, Peter Bachmann, Neil 2-7 Ayers, Joe Spence, Bill Turcotte, Eldon Germain, Berj Sailian, 2-8 Garry Stewart, Caroline Fielding, Dave Johnston, Lloyd Walton, and 2-9 Bob Thomas; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Texans are greatly indebted to the staff of the 2-11 Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for their generosity and 2-12 assistance; the professionalism, integrity, and expertise they 2-13 displayed throughout this project have earned them the respect and 2-14 admiration of all who had the privilege of working with them, and 2-15 the citizens of the Lone Star State look forward to future 2-16 professional and cultural exchanges between the State of Texas and 2-17 the Province of Ontario; now, therefore, be it 2-18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 2-19 Legislature hereby commend the personnel of the Ontario Ministry of 2-20 Natural Resources for their assistance in eradicating rabies and 2-21 declare them all Honorary Texans in recognition of their invaluable 2-22 efforts; and, be it further 2-23 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-24 prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as an 2-25 expression of appreciation and highest regard by the Texas House of 2-26 Representatives.