Madam Speaker, Robert “Bob” Attersley, who was an Olympic medallist and Whitby's longest serving mayor, passed away recently after a brief illness.
It has been written that he could have been a professional hockey player because he was that good. Instead, he chose business and politics and his community was richer for it.
Bob Attersley, who grew up in Oshawa, first won Whitby's heart as a young hockey hero. He scored the winning goal for the Whitby Dunlops against the Russians during the World Championship Hockey Tournament in 1958, and was an Olympic silver medallist with the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen in 1960.
During his nearly 30-year political career, he served as councillor, deputy reeve, mayor and was a member of the Shriners/Jesters and Rotary Club as well as numerous boards and commissions.
Bob, according to his wife of 55 wonderful years, was a loving husband, father and grandfather. Joan went on to say, “Bob was the most positive person I ever met. He loved life, his friends, everything he did. He saw the best in everyone”. Those of us who knew him would agree.
I am sure that all members of this House will join me in extending condolences to the Attersley family on the passing of this great Canadian.