Mr. Speaker, I rise to join with other colleagues in paying tribute to Robert Bourassa on the sad occasion of his death.
Allow me first of all to express sympathies to his family and to the people of Quebec on this loss of a husband, father and a political leader. These sympathies are expressed on behalf of the Reform members of Parliament and their constituents, many of
whom live in constituencies and areas a long way from Quebec and yet who feel the loss that Quebecers feel today.
My wife Sandra and I wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Andrée, and their two children, François and Michelle.
In paying tribute to his memory we could focus on a number of things as other speakers have done: his academic contributions, his political work, the acts of his government and his commitment to keeping Quebec within Canada.
The attribute that I would like to select for tribute is a more human one. We in this Chamber, who spend all our time on politics, do not spend enough time paying tribute to human characteristics, and that is his courage in adversity, particularly in his latter years. In his latter years he carried out all his political and governmental work while suffering from a painful illness. The willingness and ability of a public servant to attend to the affairs of others while enduring personal pain and suffering is a rare attribute. It is one which should be recognized and praised particularly on this occasion.
We salute today the many contributions of the late Robert Bourassa, but particularly his courage in adversity.