Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour a great Canadian, Robert Sopuck, who left us far too soon. This Saturday, we will come together to celebrate his extraordinary life, alongside his beloved wife Caroline, his family, his hunting partners and his many friends. Bob was a brilliant communicator. He was authentic, thoughtful and honest. He was a fierce defender of the rural way of life and the greatest champion hunters, anglers and trappers perhaps have ever known. He believed that all those who live, work and play on our natural landscapes are our best conservationists and the true environmentalists.
As an MP, he developed the recreational fisheries conservation partnerships program, and I believe it is safe to say that Bob saved more fish in this country than anybody else, ever. He was loved and admired by his family, his friends and all those he mentored.
Bob lived life to the fullest and we were privileged to be a part of it. We will miss him dearly and we will honour his legacy by carrying on his work in conservation, protecting the natural world and defending the rural way of life.