Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Gerard Janssen, who we lost in July of this year. Gerard served with distinction as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for 13 years.
For more than 20 years after, as a member of the Port Alberni Toy Run charity, he dressed as Santa and led a procession of motorcycles through the streets of Port Alberni that fundraised for many. For many, myself included, he was a friend and a mentor. One of the beneficiaries of his counsel was my friend the honourable Josie Osborne, who remembers his advice to her: “Work hard, don't take yourself too seriously, listen to the people who elected you, take care of your friendships and relationships.” That was Gerard. He spoke from the heart, and his plain-spoken words of wisdom will be forever with us.
I thank Flo and the Janssen family for sharing Gerard with us all of these years.