Madam Speaker, it is a privilege today to rise in honour of the life of Harold R. Johnson. A member of Montreal Lake Cree Nation and a resident of La Ronge, Harold has been a voice for northern Saskatchewan through his work as an author, capturing the essence of the region, the communities and the people.
Harold joined the Canadian navy at the age of 17 and afterward became a logger and miner, as so many northerners do. He followed that experience with a decision to return to school, eventually earning a law degree from Harvard University. After years of running his own private practice and then becoming a Crown prosecutor, Harold pursued his passion of writing and began an illustrious career as a published author. His book Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing my People (and Yours) was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for non-fiction. Harold's influential voice in northern Saskatchewan and all of Canada will live on through the words he has left us.
I ask all members of this House to join me in recognizing the life and the legacy of Harold R. Johnson.