Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to a dearly departed friend.
Roger Rondeau had a vivid imagination. If you needed a handyman, Roger was your man. He was an outstanding photographer, and he cultivated miniature roses and even bonsai trees. A few years before he died, Roger became homeless. Did the image in my colleagues' minds change when they heard that? Why?
During this holiday season, let us think of the Rogers of the world. Conservative members and ministers must know how important it is to renew the homelessness partnering strategy in 2014 and to index, or even increase, its budget.
Anyone can end up on the street, just as Roger Rondeau did. And there are at least 300,000 others just like him across Canada.
Happy holidays, ladies and gentlemen. And farewell, Roger.