Mr. Speaker, Quebec has lost a great patriot. Jean Dorion passed away after a lifetime devoted to Quebec independence.
Early on, Jean Dorion was an activist with the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale and a founding member of the Parti Québécois. He served as chief of staff under René Lévesque and was responsible for key portfolios, such as immigration and the enforcement of the Charter of the French Language. He served as president of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal, where I had the honour of working alongside him. He represented our nation as Quebec's delegate to Japan and as a member of the Bloc Québécois here in Ottawa.
Jean Dorion spent his entire life fighting for our language and culture, and for a Quebec that opens its arms to everyone. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to offer my condolences to his wife, his five children and all the separatist activists who are now continuing his quest to make Quebec a country.