Mr. Speaker, Pierre De Bané, a good friend of mine and a former parliamentarian, passed away on January 9, 2019. I would like to honour his memory by expressing how grateful I am for all of the help and good advice he gave me.
Mr. De Bané was the first Lebanese Canadian to sit in the House of Commons and the Senate, where he served for 45 years. Over the course of his political career, he was responsible for several portfolios under Pierre Elliott Trudeau's government.
Pierre De Bané studied and taught law. He was a staunch supporter of the French language and his community in the Lower St. Lawrence. This fine man paved the way for future generations, and I am one of those who followed in his footsteps.
Parliamentary colleagues, let us pay tribute to the memory of Pierre De Bané.