Mr. Speaker, we were very sad to learn about the death of Gilbert Fillion, former member of the Bloc Québécois, after a long battle with cancer.
A city councillor from 1981 to 1993 for the city of Chicoutimi, Gilbert was known for never giving up on those he represented and the issues that mattered to him.
As a staunch sovereignist, he was elected with the first team of the Bloc Québécois in the riding of Chicoutimi in 1993, and sat as a member in the House of Commons until 1997.
During his long battle with the disease, I had a few opportunities to speak with him. Even if his situation was not always easy, he always gave came across as a man who loved life and was prepared to put up a fight.
The Bloc Québécois would like to offer his wife, Louise, his family, his friends and his former colleagues its most sincere condolences during this difficult time.