Mr. Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of one of my constituents, Mr. Jamie Bell. To many of my constituents and to many in Toronto, Jamie was the public face of Swansea, one of the city's most historic and liveable neighbourhoods.
Jamie was a leader and an active participant in the High Park Citizens Advisory Committee, the March of Dimes, the Ontario Science Centre, the Mariposa Folk Festival and the Swansea Recreational Advisory Board. I especially remember his leadership and enthusiasm in building the playground in High Park with a number of volunteers.
As Jamie was the executive director of the Swansea Town Hall, I had to meet with him on many occasions. The breadth of his knowledge and interests constantly impressed me. He also had a personal style of raising issues in an inclusive manner that invited cooperation and agreement. The loss to our community is great, but I will always treasure the opportunity to have worked with someone like Jamie Bell.