Mr. Speaker, this morning we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, a great gentleman who devoted his career to public life and who served Parliament and the public competently and with dedication.
The Leader of the Opposition, who sent a statement earlier, my caucus and I are thinking of his family and friends during these painful moments.
Ironically, I first met Senator Pierre Claude Nolin outside the Senate, on a panel for the 1997 election campaign on election night. His charm and his friendly manner impressed me right from the beginning.
Earlier today I was upstairs in the parliamentary cafeteria and the sadness of the staff there when they learned of his death is a real testament to how he was appreciated on Parliament Hill.
He was appointed to the Senate in 1993, and then to the role of Speaker only last November. Senator Nolin spent his entire life involved in politics and the betterment of his community and Canada as a whole. Over the years, Senator Nolin became well known and respected for his fierce independence and disregard for partisanship on matters of importance to him. So esteemed was he by his colleagues that they unanimously chose him to be the Speaker of the Senate.
Although he was a loyal Conservative, as my colleague has just mentioned, he voted often across party lines on a number of occasions. Just to mention one, in 2002, he was chair of the Senate committee that called for the legalization of marijuana. He continued to oppose harsh penalties for marijuana possession throughout his career.
As my colleague from Acadie—Bathurst just reminded me, he was always a strong supporter of bilingualism in this country.
As Speaker of the Senate, he was dedicated to being non-partisan in carrying out his duties and to doing everything he could to defend and restore the institution's reputation. Transparency and accountability were the principles that guided his actions as an individual and as a parliamentarian.
Last week, even as he was battling the cancer ravaging his body, Senator Nolin retained his lifelong good humour and determination.
Senator Nolin fought a brave fight against a rare form of cancer which took him far too soon. His courage in his fight is an inspiration to all of us.
To Senator Nolin, his family and his loved ones, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Rest in peace, Senator Pierre Claude Nolin. You will be missed.