Mr. Speaker, today Quebec mourns the passing of the former Premier of Quebec, Robert Bourassa, a man who spent nearly 30 years of his life serving Quebecers to the best of his ability.
In 1960, Mr. Bourassa started to make his mark as a professor at the University of Ottawa, Laval University and the University of Montreal. Elected for the first time in 1966 in the riding of Mercier, Mr. Bourassa embarked on a long and brilliant political career.
In 1970, his perseverance, his talent as a communicator and his energy made him, at the age of 36, Quebec's youngest premier. He was an excellent politician, and was responsible for a number of impressive achievements that remain today as symbols of Quebec society. The decisive role he played in building a modern Quebec is reflected, as the Prime Minister mentioned earlier, in our health insurance system and the James Bay project, for instance.
Mr. Bourassa was always concerned about Quebec's future. He was responsible for the signing of the Meech Lake Accord, whose demise was certainly not his fault. He did everything to save the accord. His efforts to renew the Canadian federation were praiseworthy, even if they were to no avail.
I had the pleasure of sitting with Mr. Bourassa in the Quebec National Assembly when I was elected for the second time as a member of the Parti Quebecois in 1985. I soon realized he was a very human person who profoundly respected his opponents. In fact he taught me a very useful lesson in politics when I was the energy critic and stood opposite him: he taught me that in politics one must never underestimate one's opponent.
A man of consensus and discipline, Mr. Bourassa was until the very end an enduring benchmark in the political history of a province that is gradually evolving towards political sovereignty.
On my own behalf and on behalf of my colleagues and the people of Quebec, I wish to extend my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Bourassa. Today, Quebec has lost a great man.
In concluding, I would like to quote something that Mr. Bourassa said, in which there is a lesson for us all: "Happiness is being able to fight for one's convictions".