Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a great defender of individual liberties and a man learned in law. I refer to the late Mr. Justice John Sopinka of the Supreme Court of Canada who passed away earlier this week.
John Sopinka was born in Broderick, Saskatchewan in 1933. From humble roots he rose to become a leading Canadian civil litigator. John Sopinka knew the importance of protecting our civil liberties. After being appointed to the bench he became one of the court's strongest defenders of the rights of the individual.
John Sopinka was a leader in many ways. He was the first Canadian of Ukrainian origin to be appointed to the supreme court. He believed that Canadians of all backgrounds should participate in the justice system but insisted that everyone, especially himself, be judged on merit, not ethnicity.
On behalf of Canadians, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Sopinka's family. We have lost a great Canadian and we mourn his passing.