Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech today. It was very touching to hear the words he had to say about his former colleague. While I did not have the pleasure of working with the late Mr. Sopuck, I have heard many things from my colleagues in the lobby. Many have very funny stories about their time working with him.
I have to acknowledge that there were very few times the late Mr. Sopuck and the New Democrats saw eye to eye, but one thing they appreciated about him was that he was an avid outdoor enthusiast who championed the rural way of life. As part of his enthusiasm, he was also a dedicated conservationist. As someone who comes to this place on the heels of Linda Duncan, another important conservationist in the House, I know that was very important to the New Democrats.
His devotion to a rural way of life endeared him to many across party lines, and on behalf of the New Democratic Party, I would like to extend my condolences to his family and friends. I would ask the member to share some more stories of the late member.