Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with all of the parties in this House to pay tribute to Bob. I arrived here in 1984, and he left in 1984, so I did not have the opportunity to sit with him, but I have often heard reference made to the spirit of social commitment he brought to this House.
He sat here until 1984. A priest, he had to leave because the Vatican decided that priests should no longer be members of any parliament. Out of obedience to the Pope he gave up his political career.
His career was in fact four careers. First of all, he was an influential priest. He was also an extremely devoted missionary, a highly conscientious politician, and later a committed writer. He served in Brazil, Africa and Asia.
We remember his years in politics mainly for his committed defence of the right to life. He spoke often on euthanasia, capital punishment and abortion. He constantly fought for the right to life.
He also had a great belief in the media and felt they had a vital role to play in raising public awareness of social injustice. After his departure from politics, even during his serious illness, he continued to speak his mind regularly in the press.
He was the recipient of numerous honours in recognition of his abilities and commitment. These included honourary degrees, the Order of Canada and the Order of Saskatchewan.
He inspired numerous religious leaders in his home province and throughout Canada. The premier of his province said of him “He devoted his life to helping others, and acquired an international reputation as a man with a social conscience, committed to peace, justice and the fight against poverty”, while church authorities in Rome commented that no one could better incarnate the vision and spirit of the Vatican II ecumenical council than Father Ogle.
On behalf of the Bloc Quebecois, I offer my most sincere condolences to all his family, his friends and his party.