Mr. Speaker, public life is an honour bestowed on a very small percentage of our population. It can be very rewarding and yet very challenging. I would never suggest, even if I disagree with their politics, that I do not respect their intentions as they relate to their constituents, their province or their country.
It is in this light that I congratulate Premier Mike Harris for having the courage to make a very personal decision and retire. He wants to spend more time with his family.
I served with Mike at Queen's Park for eight years. He was my opponent, never my enemy. Our mutual enemies were complacency and anyone who wanted to harm our province.
The political ideology that developed as the common sense revolution was certainly not something that I shared in any way. However the ability to lead, the ability to fight for what one believes in and execute the ideology faithfully, is something that I respect. I extend congratulations to Mike. May he enjoy his retirement.