Mr. Speaker, today, on behalf of my colleagues in the Bloc Quebecois, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to the family of Jack Pickersgill, who passed away on November 14.
Born at Wyecombe, Ontario in 1905, Mr. Pickersgill enjoyed a long and fruitful career on the Hill. He entered politics in 1937 as a secretary in the office of the Prime Minister of the time, Mackenzie King. He also served under Louis Saint-Laurent, who appointed him as Clerk of the Privy Council in 1952 and Secretary to the PMO.
In 1953 he moved from behind the scenes into an elected role as the MP for Bonavista—Twillingate, Newfoundland, the riding he represented until his resignation in 1967.
During his parliamentary career, Mr. Pickersgill held the positions of Secretary of State and Minister of Immigration. From his time in opposition from 1957 to 1963, we owe the axiom that one should never ask a question without already knowing what the answer will be.
With the Liberals' return to power in 1963, he became Minister of Transport until he left the House of Commons to assume the presidency of the Canadian Transport Commission, where he remained until 1972.
On behalf of myself and my colleagues in the Bloc Quebecois, I want his family and friends to know that they have every reason to be proud of all his accomplishments during a long and fruitful political career.