Thank you, Mr. Chair, for affording us all this opportunity. I'll try my best to be brief as well.
I don't want to repeat anything that's been said, but obviously, Senator Murray Sinclair had an incredibly profound impact on all of us and on many Canadians across the country. He was instrumental in advancing reconciliation. His life, his career and his incredibly impressive résumé speak to it in every respect. From my own standpoint, as someone representing northwestern Ontario—42 first nations across three treaty territories—I know from the conversations I've had that he is more than an inspiration; he's really a hero to many people, to many first nations across the country. Obviously, he's going to be very missed. Because of the incredible work that he's done and the lives he has touched, I know he will not be forgotten.
Unfortunately, I did not have an opportunity to develop much of a relationship with Senator Sinclair, but anyone who knows me well also knows I have to fly to Winnipeg in order to get home, so I had the opportunity to sit with him on a few planes. I always appreciated the opportunity to seek his guidance, and he was never reluctant and never held anything back. He was always open to a discussion with anybody about any subject to advance reconciliation and to ensure that we were moving forward together. I appreciated his wisdom and my opportunity to lean on that in the few opportunities that I had. I only wish I were able to do so more often.
I want to thank him for his contributions to our country. As the previous speaker mentioned, I thank his family for sharing him with us. I offer my condolences to his friends, family and loved ones. Really, I would just like to ensure that, on behalf of everyone on our committee, the understanding of his inspiration will live on and his work will continue, hopefully, through us to the best of our abilities.
Thank you.