Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to develop quite a few extraordinary relationships, even with members of other parties. During this Parliament, I worked alongside MPs who served their country in the Canadian Armed Forces, including Conservative MPs, people who served during the Afghanistan war in the 2000s. Those relationships gave me a chance to get to know people I might never have gotten to know so well and to swap stories with them about our time in uniform.
It is important to get to know people, to hear about their experiences and find out who they really are beneath the surface. I have learned surprising tidbits about the private lives of many MPs. I have also learned to see their potential. That takes sincerity and openness. It is hard to get to know people when you are always trying to fit into a mould. I think people are at their best when they can be themselves. That makes politics so much more human and so much more interesting.