Mr. Speaker, I stand today with the arduous task of giving words sufficient to honour the life of a friend, a son and a brother to many: Jonathan Hennessy.
Jonathan not only stood out; he stood alone. In a world increasingly devoid of character, he provided a stark contrast in a manner not beyond comparison to the Irish wit of James Joyce or Oscar Wilde. In that vein, he was beloved by all who knew him. Had he chosen to harness his personality for a living, there is no doubt he would have won an Oscar or an Emmy, or ended up on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
The unfortunate cause of a personality as big as Jonathan's is that the silence he leaves behind is deafening. I encourage my fellow members and my constituents at home to always remember to take an extra moment to enjoy their families and friends.
In closing, I would like to express my deepest condolences to his mother Winnie, and we thank her for sharing the gift of her son Jonathan with us. May he rest in peace.