Mr. Speaker, we were saddened to hear of the death of Albert Béchard, notary, which occurred on Sunday, April 28.
Albert Béchard sat in this House from 1962 to 1972 as the member for Bonaventure, and from 1972 to 1979 as the member for Bonaventure and Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
He chaired several of the House standing committees and was as well chairman of the committees of the whole.
From July 1966 to April 1968, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State of Canada, and from 1970 to 1972 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
This was a great Canadian who defended the interests of his province in the Parliament of Canada. Albert loved his native Gaspé, and after his retirement spent five months of the year there at Carleton.
To his wife Lucette and his children, Carl and Pierre, I extend my most sincere personal condolences as well as those of the people of the Îles de la Madeleine and the Gaspé.