Mr. Speaker, the Upper Ottawa Valley is known for its unique style of Canadian culture. From fiddle players in the remote logging camps, our brand of rock and roll, to country star Jason Blaine, music is in our blood.
It is with great sadness that I mark the passing, after a courageous battle with cancer, of Peter, “Sab” to his friends, Sabourin, “The King of the North”. Sab rocked with the likes of Dr. Hook, April Wine, Downchild Blues Band, rockin' Ronnie Hawkins and Kris Kristopherson.
In recent years, Sab had moved back to his grandfather's farm in the Ottawa Valley, where I got to know him as the driving force behind “Sabstock”, a weekend-long celebration of rock and roll, and his Thanksgiving Jam for the foodbank.
Sab made himself a household name for music fans from North Bay to Timmins to Thunder Bay, and all stops in between.
Sab lived life to its fullest and left us far too soon.
The show will go on with this year's Sabstock on the farm, from July 3 to July 5.
May his widow, Tina, and his daughters, Chessa and Talia, all be together one day on the Far Side Banks of Jordan.