Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to join in the tributes to the Right Hon. Herb Gray, a man respected by all parties in this House. I regard him as a sort of companion in charisma. My colleague from Saskatchewan noticed that rarest of occurrences: Herb Gray actually smiled at that line.
I have to say this. He is also a man of some precision and he would know that my colleague from Saskatchewan made a slight error in his comments. Mr. Gray has outlasted all but two of the prime ministers with whom he has worked. Of course, as I have reason to know, I say to the Prime Minister that there is no reason to think he will not be back.
I personally am delighted that he has finally been called to the bar of the House. There were several times during his parliamentary career when I tried to get him called there, but he was always too cagey for that.
Since we are making new precedents in the House today, Sir, it might be appropriate to retire the phrase for which Herb Gray was so well known. I am sure that Mr. Speaker could find unanimous consent in the House if he would declare as unparliamentary language the phrase “I reject the premise of the hon. member's question”.
I am glad that the government has found a way for the House to pay tribute to Herb Gray's nearly 40 years of outstanding service to our country. Mr. Gray has seen many changes in this House. He has seen many changes in this country since his first election.
He was part of the government that brought in the new Canadian flag. He was here when the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism reported. He saw the Canada pension plan created, the auto pact signed. It is only a rumour that he was here when the railway was built, but he was here for the patriation of the constitution and the introduction of the charter of rights and freedoms.
Mr. Gray and I often disagreed. That is the nature of democracy. He fought my party on free trade. We disagreed on foreign investment rules. We disagreed on the GST.
Although we have opposed each other on important issues, no one on this side of the House will ever question or ever debate Herb Gray's love of his country. His belief in the Canadian dream of working hard to create a better life and a better country has characterized his service to Canada.
We will miss Herb Gray's wisdom greatly. The legacy he leaves us is his integrity, his strength of character, his great respect, and his understanding of the entity known as the House of Commons. These are qualities to which any parliamentarian should aspire.
We pay tribute to Mr. Gray's tireless work. We wish him and his wife, Sharon Sholzberg Gray, and his children much happiness and success in their future endeavours.
I said earlier this year that Herb Gray was effective in both government and opposition and that he was the steady centre of his party in good times and in turbulence. He will be remembered for his dedication to this House as the institution that is the very foundation of our democracy. Ten years ago, on the occasion of his 30th anniversary, he said in this House:
Standing here, speaking in this marvellous place, in spite of its problems, is still the focal point to which Canadians look when it comes to the protection and enhancement of their liberties and well-being. May it always be such.
We join in wishing Herb Gray the greatest success as chair of the International Joint Commission. We thank him for years of work on behalf of Canada. We will continue his work to ensure that the House of Commons remains the institution that preserves and enhances the liberties and well-being of Canadians. Thank you, Herb Gray.