Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to the late Ernest Manning.
I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Manning when he was in the House and it is with sadness that I speak. He was quite a remarkable man and he had a very remarkable record of service to his church, to Alberta and to Canada.
He became the youngest cabinet minister in the Commonwealth at the age of 26. He served in the provincial government for 33 years, for 25 years as premier. He was radio host of Back to the Bible Hour for almost 50 years. It is no wonder that the people of Alberta came to know him and trust him.
More than any other politician, he was the architect of modern Alberta. He brought its finances under control, established the foundation of the provincial social services system, and ensured the development of the province's oil and gas industry which has been so vital to its prosperity. The results of his work are very evident today in a strong and prosperous Alberta.
In his eulogy, the member for Calgary Southwest mentioned that his father attended every first ministers conference from the day they were established by Mackenzie King until the beginning of the Trudeau administration. His commitment to Canada was never questioned.
I think it was this remarkable record of service that made Mr. Trudeau appoint him to the Senate. Mr. Manning understood better than most the way that Canada works. For 13 years he sat as an independent senator. Apparently he once said that a lot of people think senators are entirely preoccupied with protocol, alcohol and Geritol. Of course, Mr. Manning was not preoccupied with these matters. I had the honour to serve in Parliament with Senator Manning and he was always very conscientious in carrying out his duties.
Throughout his life he worked for a strong Alberta and a united Canada. He was a legendary figure in Canadian history and an outstanding model of public service.
We see very clearly that his legacy lives on in the work of his son. I know they were very close and this is a very sad loss for him.
On behalf of all members of the government, I extend our sincere condolences to the family of the late Ernest Manning.
I myself knew Mr. Manning as a senator. I even had the pleasure of speaking with him a few times. He was an exceptionally courteous man who enjoyed giving advice on request. He was not the type to dictate what we should do on a daily basis but, if we had an opportunity to talk to him and to ask him a few questions on his past experiences, he was always very courteous and eager to help. As I was saying earlier, Canada has lost a great patriot, a truly great Canadian.