Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge today the retirement of the Hon. Marcel Prud'homme, whose Senate term ends on November 30. His leaving is a great loss not only to the Senate, but to Parliament as a whole.
He was a member of Parliament for the riding of Papineau, which was once called Saint-Denis, from 1964 to 1993, when he became a senator, and he has had a major impact on Canada's political life. Throughout his political career, Mr. Prud'homme has tirelessly defended the causes that are close to his heart: human rights and peacekeeping.
Mr. Prud'homme's 45 years in politics make him a dean of Parliament, and all those who have had the pleasure of working with him can attest to his dedication and courage. I had the chance to work with Mr. Prud'homme in the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association, and I can tell you that he was a staunch defender of la Francophonie and was well liked by all the members of the committee here and in France.
On behalf of all the members of the New Democratic Party, I wish Mr. Prud'homme a happy retirement, a retirement—