Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay a final tribute today to a great lady from my riding, who died on January 18 at the age of 92.
Madeleine Gérin was one of the founding forces behind the Coaticook Hospital and fought valiantly to ensure that her community had access to quality health services. In the 1950s, she devoted her efforts to recruiting nuns, as this was a requirement at that time in order to obtain a hospital. She headed the hospital board of governors and contributed in a variety of other ways to its development and expansion.
There is no doubt that her community involvement encouraged her eight children to follow her example, her son François in particular. He was one of the founders of the Bloc Québécois, and sat in this House from 1984 to 1993.
Pioneer and visionary that she was, Madeleine Gérin was a pillar of the Coaticook community and of her entire region. The tributes paid to her today are richly deserved.