Mr. Speaker, in each and every one of our ridings there are exceptional people whom we are fortunate to have the privilege of knowing. I would like to talk about such a person today.
On January 22, Joseph Bérubé passed away at the venerable age of 97. He was a notary whose career spanned 72 years, the equivalent of two consecutive careers, and who worked right up until his death.
This man was a force of nature, a remarkable model of dedication, commitment, humility, and generosity. Despite the deaths of his wife in 2006 and his son in 2007, Mr. Bérubé continued to volunteer with and lend his expertise to different organizations, especially those that support seniors and the most vulnerable. Among other things, he oversaw the purchase of a building for the activities of the Cercle culturel de l'amitié, whose mandate is to combat the isolation that too many of our seniors experience.
Tomorrow, Mr. Bérubé's community will lay him to rest. Having had the privilege of knowing this man, I wanted to pay homage to him in the House so that his memory will live on and so that we can loudly applaud the memory of this extraordinary man.