Mr. Speaker, Jim Flaherty was genuine, decent, and kind.
It is with great sadness that the NDP family learned of the death of Jim Flaherty. I would like to join our leader and all New Democrats in offering our deepest condolences to his wife, Christine Elliott, and his three sons, John, Galen and Quinn—the family that gave him so much support—as well as to his other family members and many friends.
We recognize his contribution and his dedication. Everyone will agree that, in his 20 years of political life, he fulfilled his responsibilities with courage and determination. We will always remember him as a devoted and intelligent man who contributed to the country's well-being. Most of all, I will remember his joie de vivre and his Irish sense of humour.
One of my favourite stories about Jim is his talking about his family background and the city gates of Galway, where it is inscribed in Gaelic: “From the ferocious O'Flahertys, Lord deliver us.” Jim would deadpan, “You know, that's not bad training for a finance minister”.
However, as MP, as MPP, and as minister of finance, Jim Flaherty was a man who repeatedly demonstrated his love for public service. He served his constituents and all Canadians with dedication, with conviction, and with hard work.
In a speech he gave to students at the University of Western Ontario, in 2011, Jim laid out his own thoughts on the importance of public service, and this he demonstrated every day of his public service career. He said:
Public service reminds us all there exists a genuine concept of the public good in the broad public interest. While we value individual liberty and protect it, as Canadians we also maintain a strong tradition of the public good, that is, what is good for society as a whole...”
He reflected, then, on his experience listening to Robert Kennedy 40 years earlier. He said:
Today, about 40 years after I heard Kennedy speak, my message is the same: Canada needs you—your skills, talents, idealism, energy and enthusiasm—now, more than ever.
Jim's sudden death is also a dramatic reminder that, although we were all elected for partisan reasons, we are all human beings and we have much more in common than the sum of our differences. Like Jim, we are here because we want to serve Canadians and give our best.
Jim Flaherty's friendly and engaging demeanour, even in the face of the health challenges we saw, showed his great strength of character.
He was always affable. He was always friendly in the members' gym, in the elevator, whenever you met him—the one exception being question period, where he was affable, often, but very strong and eloquent as a debater.
As one of the many finance critics he faced over the course of his career here, I can say that we all had to be very well prepared when we came up against Jim Flaherty in the House of Commons.
All great people are profoundly motivated to make life better for others. With Jim Flaherty, among many other talents, that profound motivation led him to be a passionate advocate for people with disabilities.
His deep love of his son John and his keen understanding of the challenges and obstacles that Canadians with disabilities face every day and through the course of their lifetime led him to push for the creation of the registered disabilities savings plan.
This did not garner headlines, but it will benefit the lives of Canadians with disabilities for years and for decades to come.
With that understanding, with decency, and with common sense, Jim Flaherty made a difference in the lives of Canadians who are, far too often, marginalized, forgotten, and ignored.
A few years ago, Jim wrote a column in the newsletter for the Canadian Association of Community Living, about his son John, and the joy John gives the entire family. He wrote:
[John] sees clearly what we often miss in the cacophony of our lives. A few years ago, we were underwater in a submersible at the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland looking out the window at the sun’s rays shimmering through the turquoise water on the colourful fish and plants, when John said simply and eloquently, “That’s what heaven looks like”. So now I know.
Wrote Jim, “Now I know”.
After nearly a decade of devoted service to our nation in one of the toughest jobs that exists, he looked forward to spending much more time with his loving family.
Sadly, he was taken from them and taken from all of us at far too young an age.
We will miss Jim Flaherty.