Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour Pastor Ray Matheson, who is retiring after a lifetime of service to Jesus Christ.
Wherever there was a need or a want, Pastor Ray could be expected to act and make miracles happen. Ray would find beds for new Canadians, arrange food for the sick and the grieving and offer a spare bed in his own home for those who remained homeless. He also had a sixth sense for knowing people. People could expect a call at any hour of the day asking them to help a stranger out or what they were in need of. My own story is that on the night that my youngest daughter passed away two years ago, somehow Pastor Ray knew at midnight that something had happened. He gave me a call and asked whether I needed anything. Then, at 1 a.m. in the morning, he showed up at the hospital and stayed with us for hours until we were better.
Ray is like the Yellow Pages, Uber Eats and a chief warrant officer all rolled into one. I wish Ray and his wife Dee a very happy retirement. While his salary may be retired, we know that Ray remains the guardian angel of Calgary.