Mr. Speaker, last week I was saddened to learn of the loss of a former member of this House, the hon. Norman Fawcett. Mr. Fawcett served in this House as the member of Parliament for Nickel Belt from 1965 to 1968.
Norman was a community leader in the town of Capreol and in the region of Sudbury. More important, he was a family man and a highly respected member of his community. He will be sadly missed by his family, friends and the community.
Norman was originally from Adanac, Saskatchewan where he grew up and later took up farming before moving on to British Columbia to take a job as a logger. He later settled down in northern Ontario, in Capreol, where he worked as a miner and then as a conductor with the CNR. He retired from the CN in 1975. This breadth of experience and pan-Canadian view of things provided Norman with a unique and penetrating insight that served him and his constituents well throughout his political career.
In my youth I vividly recall following his political career in Capreol and Ottawa. His years of public service began in the late forties with his election to the executive of a local of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen as it was then known.
In this difficult period for the labour movement, Norman was known as a man who stood by his members and his principles. The membership later rewarded Norman and I believe they rewarded themselves by appointing Norman to various positions of strategic importance to workers' rights and to collective bargaining.
In the early 1960s he entered municipal politics where he served as a councillor and deputy mayor for the town of Capreol. In 1965 he moved to the federal scene as the member of Parliament for Nickel Belt. In 1969 he returned to municipal politics and served as the mayor of Capreol and later on as a councillor and deputy mayor. He retired from municipal politics in 1991.
I do not think it is possible to walk through Capreol without seeing or touching the works to which Norman contributed, the parks, the athletic field, the museum, the library and so many others.
However, for Norman elected office was only one part of public service. The other was community activism and volunteerism. I believe that Norman will be remembered as much for his volunteerism as for his political contributions. I believe it is what defined him as an individual. He gave of himself.
The library board, the horticultural society, the local conservation authority, the Capreol Credit Union, the Lions Club, the Capreol senior's housing development and more all benefited from his leadership and commitment to his community. Public service, volunteerism or to offer one's self to the democratic process is a noble calling.
Mr. Norman Fawcett's life, his accomplishments and his contributions testify to this statement. However, as all members of the House know, it is family and friends that really matter. Norman lacked neither. Norman lacked neither.
He was a committed and devoted family man. He leaves behind his wife Elizabeth, seven children, 20 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. I know they will miss him.
On behalf of the people of Nickel Belt and the members of the House, I wish to offer Elizabeth and her family our sincerest condolences on the loss of her husband. He was a great Canadian.