Mr. Speaker, on February 16, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Thomas De Koninck, an internationally renowned philosopher and pillar of Université Laval's faculty of philosophy.
Thomas De Koninck will, of course, be remembered as the inspiration for Saint-Exupéry's character the Little Prince, but to students like me who knew him personally, he was a legend in a different way.
He left a lasting impression on generations of students by awakening our desire to learn, nurturing our critical thinking skills, and fostering a love of culture in all its forms. Professor De Koninck had the ability to pass on his passion for great literature and make even the most complex works accessible. He devoted his life to combatting ignorance and promoting human dignity.
On behalf of the thousands of students he moulded into better thinkers, I thank Professor De Koninck. We are freer and more independent thanks to him.
On behalf of his friends Gilbert Larochelle and Jean-François de Raymond, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family of Thomas De Koninck.