Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to rise today to recognize an outstanding member of this House. The member for Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa was recently recognized as the International Legislator of the Year by Safari Club International. SCI is an organization composed of hunters dedicated to promoting wildlife conservation worldwide and to protecting the freedom to hunt.
My friend and mentor is a lifelong hunter, angler, and avid outdoorsman. He works tirelessly for his constituents and all Canadian hunters, anglers, and trappers. He was instrumental in establishing the recreational fisheries conservation partnership program, helped end the useless long gun registry, and has fought valiantly against every attack on the hunting, fishing, and trapping community. His unflinching devotion to protecting our way of life is not just respectable, it is admirable. He is a conservationist, first and foremost, and a common-sense environmentalist.
In summing up this man in a few words, I have this to say: his mind belongs to his work, his heart belongs to his family, and his soul belongs in the woods.
Congratulations to my friend. May his line always be tight and his aim always true.