Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of the Hon. William H. Jarvis, who passed away last week at the age of 85.
Bill was first elected to the House of Commons in 1972 for the riding of Perth—Wilmot. He would go on to serve in this House for the next 12 years, always tending to the needs of his riding and to his constituents. In 1979, he was appointed to cabinet as the minister of state for federal-provincial relations.
After leaving elected politics in 1984, he continued to serve his country, and his party as president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1986 to 1989.
I am sure all hon. members will join me in paying tribute and in expressing our condolences to Bill's family, including his wife Louisette, his children Richard and Elizabeth, and their mother Vivian.
While we may mourn the loss of Bill, we can certainly pay tribute and honour his legacy and his dedication to this House, his country, and his constituents.