Mr. Speaker, our country has just lost an extraordinary and passionate man.
Born in Outremont in 1916, Michel Chartrand devoted his entire life to social justice.
Chartrand joined the Cistercian monastery in Oka before starting his remarkable political and labour rights career. His spirituality was always an integral part of his vision.
However, like Tommy Douglas, whom he worked with for years, he did not see the purpose of saving the soul of someone who had nothing to eat.
Together with Thérèse Casgrain, he laid the foundation, as the founding delegate, for a new party, which became the NDP in 1961.
The course of history led him to devote himself, sometimes in a sensational way, to the independence of Quebec. However, his top priority remained the people.
In 1998, at 81 years of age, he led a spirited fight against Lucien Bouchard's zero deficit. He also fought to achieve zero poverty in the world.
On behalf of all New Democrats, we salute Michel Chartrand.