Mr. Speaker, Canadian journalists in the Parliament Hill family lost one of the great ones when Al Toulin passed away suddenly last Monday. Al worked for the Ottawa Citizen, the Hamilton Spectator, the Toronto Star and the Financial Post, to name a few, in a career that spanned 40 years.
Al was known for always being able to ferret out that elusive scoop with great contacts and respect across government. In 2004, he served as director of communications to the Liberal government House leader, Tony Valeri, and later shared his impeccable communications talents in election campaigns. He was an avid reader. Nobody read more than Al and nobody seemed to have a deeper well of knowledge about politics, the economy and so much more.
Al was quiet, never overbearing, but he was also courageous and unstoppable when there was a job to be done, a gentle giant and a cool head in a crisis. Most of all, we will miss the big warm heart that beat in his towering frame.
On behalf of all of us on the Hill, I send our condolences to his wife Mary Beth and his entire family. We thank Al, the “Big Guy”, for everything.