Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I too rise today to mark the passing of our friend and fellow parliamentarian, Gord Brown. I got to know Gord over the past years when we served as whips together in this place.
I was a new MP and Gord not only taught me how to be a whip, but also how to effectively represent my constituents. We all know that he did brilliant work for the people of his riding of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
Blessed with a great sense of humour and a cheerful and enthusiastic outlook on life, Gord was devoted to his wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, of whom we have heard so much. We know that he adored them all. He was an exemplary parliamentarian, a fantastic father, a devoted husband, a proud Conservative, and an energetic and unstoppable hockey player, and I am very, very glad to say that I never met him on the ice. He was also a good friend of all of us.
I extend our most sincere condolences to his family, thousands of friends, the Conservative Party of Canada, all those who work in this remarkable place, and to all Canadians.