Mr. Speaker, to borrow a line, Jim Bradley was as “constant as the northern star”. From when he was first elected to city council in 1970, few can remember a time when Jim was not serving our community. He was elected to Queen's Park in 1977, becoming the second longest-serving MPP in Ontario's history, and served as Niagara's regional chair until his death.
As environment minister, he shaped the province by securing agreements to end acid rain and introducing the blue box program. In St. Catharines, his legacy is everywhere, from the widening of the QEW to our new hospital and the Performing Arts Centre, and so many others.
Jim's dedication was unmatched. He went to everything. If someone was at a community event over the last half century, the odds are that Jim was there. His great strength was knowing what mattered to regular folks, not just to what he called the chattering class.
I will miss my friend. I will miss our phone calls, his sage advice and our bemoaning about our beloved Blue Jays. Rest in peace, Jim. He served St. Catharines with distinction, dignity and heart.