Mr. Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I speak to you today in tribute to the member for Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, Jim Hillyer.
I want to begin by thanking the hon. Leader of the Opposition for her warm words and for telling us about many aspects of Jim that will come as a surprise to many of us here, including me.
This is a moment when we should all reflect on the fact that we do not know each other as well as we should in the House. We learn of each other through comments made in the media, through speeches that we give or have to give in the House, but we do not often actually dig into the lives and stories that each and every one of us brings to this place.
If today's tragic experience, which we all share, of having lost a member of the family, is to have any positive outcomes, let it be that we take a little more time on the occasions afforded to us, on hockey rinks or soccer fields or after work in the watering holes around Ottawa, time to get to know each other a little more, because we are bound together, all of us, in service to this great country.
Like all of us, I learned of Jim's death this morning with shock and disbelief. His youth and the suddenness of his passing have blanketed the Hill with a weighty sadness today; and I know that this heaviness will remain for quite some time, for while we sat on opposite sides of the House, we were part of the same parliamentary family. We are all here, each and every one of us, in service to this great country; and that certainly was the case with Jim. He was a valued member of his party, a hard-working public servant, and a strong voice for his community.
Everyone here will remember him for how he served his fellow Canadians, which he did with tremendous passion and deep conviction.
Jim's presence will be missed on the Hill today and all days. We will stand united and support one another in our grief. On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I want to extend my deepest, most heartfelt sympathies to Jim's wife, Livi, and their four children. They should know that their husband and dad served our country well. May they find strength in the faith that sustains them during the difficult days ahead.
If this House and this country are made strong by the broad range of people and voices who serve, then this morning we have certainly been diminished by Jim's passing.
Rest in peace, Jim.