Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, we were very sad to hear of the passing of Max Gros-Louis, the former Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat First Nation who was a world-renowned indigenous leader, a larger-than-life man and a towering giant in our history.
Max Gros-Louis helped the members of the Wendat nation and indigenous peoples rediscover their pride in their identity. His Wendat name was Oné Onti, which means paddler. Grand Chief Gros-Louis was indeed skilled at paddling through the sometimes troubled waters of political negotiations. He was one of the first to unite the first nations. He was the Wendat Grand Chief for 33 years and was politically active for essentially half a century. He accomplished great things for his nation and for all first nations. He has left an indelible mark on our history. He believed in discussion, dialogue and negotiation. He ardently defended his rights, but he was always respectful. He taught us a lot.
He was known and recognized around the world, garnering the respect of everyone from the Pope to the Secretary-General of the UN, not to mention world leaders and royalty.
We offer our sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones, his nation and the first nations.