Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the member of Parliament for Sackville—Eastern Shore, who last night was named Parliamentarian of the Year. To pay proper respect to his unique brand of politics, I will now abandon my notes and speak as he does, from the heart.
This member has, from his earliest days, paid great respect to the people who elected him to speak on their behalf, and has mentored an entire generation of New Democrat MPs in paying attention always to the local politics, even while at the federal level.
He has also earned respect and friends on both sides of the aisle, constantly advocating that while we can be tough in politics, we can be good to one another, and it can be, from time to time, even a little bit fun.
I and many New Democrats and all those who support us across the country are proud of the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore. We brought him a little closer to the front bench today; I know it does not make him feel too comfortable, but as soon as this tribute is over, I know he will want to return to the comfort and safety of the last row of Parliament.
He has constantly shown us that politics is important, politics is always local, and politics should be done with respect, particularly when fighting for Canada's veterans.