Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the late Vern Nielsen of Kelowna, British Columbia, who passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends, on February 11, 2017.
As a business person and philanthropist, Vern was a kind and generous man. A long-time Rotarian, Vern was the sitting district governor of District 5060 and kept up his volunteer work with the club even while undergoing his cancer treatments.
I am particularly proud to honour Vern in this place, as Vern stood as the Liberal candidate for Kelowna—Lake Country in both the 2004 and 2006 Canadian general elections. He was a mentor to me and contributed in many ways to my success in 2015.
I ask all members in this place to join with me in recognizing Vern Nielsen of Kelowna, British Columbia. Both his community and his country are better places because of his many contributions.