Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Montreal senator the hon. Marcel Prud'homme in recognition of his 45 years as a parliamentarian.
Senator Prud'homme was elected to the House of Commons on February 10, 1964, following a byelection in the riding of Saint-Denis to replace the hon. Azellus Denis. He held his seat until May 26, 1993, when he was appointed to the Senate as the representative for the La Salle region.
Ever dedicated and involved, Senator Prud'homme is known for his ability to turn a fine phrase.
A strong advocate for world peace, he is open to others and willing to listen. He has always encouraged dialogue. He once said, “Relationships must be maintained, regardless of the circumstances”.
In November 2007, he was awarded the Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation for maintaining dialogue with other nations even when he did not share their ideology.
I would like to thank this great Canadian, my friend, Senator Marcel Prud'homme, for his tremendous contribution to parliamentarianism.