Mr. Speaker, on April 2, hundreds of friends, family, and colleagues gathered in New Westminster to celebrate the life of Samuel Belzberg.
Sam was an extraordinary Canadian who lived a remarkable life of service and dedication to his family and to his country. Sam was a visionary leader, and his drive saw him rise to become one of Canada's most successful businessmen. However, Sam still had more to do.
In 2003, Sam, along with Jack Blaney and later David Aisenstat, launched Action Canada, a fellowship program that would identify emerging leaders, bring them together, and send them on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to better understand Canada and how to contribute to it. Sam believed, along with his wife Fran, that such a fellowship network could have a transformative impact on Canada. He was right. Fifteen years later, Sam's Action Canada fellowship network is over 200 strong. The leaders Sam helped select, train, and mentor are a living monument to his generosity, vision, and unrivalled commitment to Canada.
I thank Sam. We will miss him.