Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to rise today to mark the one-year anniversary of the passing of my friend, Gord Brown.
Gord was a lover of sports, both as a champion kayaker and as captain of the Conservative hockey team, but above that he loved his family and where he was from.
For 14 years, Gord was nothing short of a tireless champion for the constituents of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. With the loving support of his wife Claudine, who is here today, and his sons Tristan and Chance, he was able to cement his legacy through the revitalization of the eastern Ontario development program, compassionate care measures in Bill C-44, his work for forgotten survivors of thalidomide and the passing Bill C-370 to rename what is now known as Thousand Islands National Park.
Canada lost a top citizen and a great parliamentarian. His boys lost their dad, and Claudine lost her best friend. With the love for Canada that everyone in this place shares, we will be working hard every day to make it better and stronger, just as Gord did.