Mr. Speaker, during the Easter break, we learned the sad news that our former colleague, Carlo Rossi, had passed away.
I had the privilege of knowing Carlo. Almost everyone was on a first-name basis with him. To all his colleagues in this House and the community at large, he was an affable man and a friend to all. Carlo was always there.
I was privileged to know him before being elected myself to this place. As a police detective, he was a distinguished member of the Montreal Italian community. Carlo Rossi's name was already known in this House before he was first elected to this place in 1979 to represent the riding of Bourassa, which encompasses Montréal-Nord in the greater Montreal area. He represented this riding until 1988.
When I first set foot here as a new member in 1984, Carlo had just been appointed deputy whip. Like everyone who comes to Ottawa for the first time, I was a little lost. Carlo was there to advise us, to help us find our way and play our role as members of parliament. He did so with patience and eloquence.
What struck me the most during my first few months here, in Ottawa, was the fact that, as busy as he was as deputy whip—having been a whip myself for a number of years, I am familiar with the difficulties and time demands of such a position here on Parliament Hill—Carlo never forgot his riding. Not only did Carlo spend weekends in his riding, as most of us do, trying to be everywhere at once, but he managed to attend six or seven events between Saturday night and Sunday. He was everywhere. Even during the week, when he was asked to by an organization in his riding, he would take the train to Montreal, but the next morning he was back here.
I think he was a truly remarkable member of Parliament, a member who not only took part in every debate in this House and fulfilled his responsibilities as deputy opposition whip, but also represented his riding well.
We all know Carlo had a tremendous voice. We all know how this House can be noisy, especially during question period. Despite all the noise, the voice of Carlo would just come out. Everybody, whether on the opposition benches or the government benches, would hear Carlo. Every Wednesday an hon. member leads in the singing of our national anthem to open the House. If Carlo were among us, he would lead that singing of O Canada. He was a good Canadian. He loved his family. He loved his community. He was very well respected. He loved this place and I am sure we will all miss him.
I had the privilege of meeting with him once in a while. Although he was no longer an elected MP, when he attended social and civic functions people and organizations would call on him for help.
We will miss Carlo. On behalf of the Prime Minister, my Liberal colleagues and I think all members of this House, I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his wife, Raymonde, his children, Chantal and Roberto, his grandchildren and all the other members of his family. We will all miss Carlo.