Mr. Speaker, I am deeply honoured to call you “Mr. Speaker” in the House today. The title suits you so well.
I have seen a lot of people come and go in this place, but it has always been a pleasure to see you over the 21 years that you have served your Ottawa—Vanier constituents.
They knew they could count on you when the Montfort Hospital was in jeopardy, and you were still there a decade later when it was expanded instead of shut down. They counted on you to advocate for the rights of francophones at home and across Canada, and here you are again today spearheading the movement for an officially bilingual Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois MPs, I salute your steadfast dedication to your constituents, to francophones everywhere, and to the noble democratic values that the House must never lose sight of.