Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a sad occasion to mark the death of a great broadcaster, a great Canadian and, most importantly, a great friend.
Donald M.E. Hamilton passed away peacefully on December 2 in Victoria with family by his side.
He started out life in Ontario then moved out west in the 1960s, where he became a pioneer in FM radio. Recruited by the Moffat Broadcasting group, he led fledgling CKLG radio and CFOX FM to unprecedented success in Vancouver's competitive rock music market.
From there, Don's enthusiasm and larger than life personality drew respect from his colleagues, who elected him president of the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. He later served on the board of the CBC.
A lifelong Conservative, Don served as B.C. campaign chair for Robert Stanfield, Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney.
Don was also a great speech writer. Although he will always be remembered for his commitment to community and national affairs, above all he will be cherished as a family man and a loyal friend.
As Don once reminded me, “Be bold old friend, be bold”.