Mr. Speaker, today we are a country and a world united in mourning the loss of Nelson Mandela. If ever proof were needed that one person could change the world, Nelson Mandela was that proof.
He was a giant of humanity, one of the great people of our time. Around the world, his name means “freedom”. His commitment to peace and justice embodied those very concepts. He inspired a movement, transformed a nation and allowed us all to believe that a better world was possible.
I grew up following Nelson Mandela. He lost his freedom around the same time I was born. I was one of the countless people inspired by his leadership and by his example. Madiba restored our faith, not only in the power of a just cause, but in politics itself.
Today, let us once again find inspiration in his words, “I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended”. Madiba's walk is done. He is going home, but we must not linger. Our walk continues.