It’s really a pleasure to join everyone here today and present this petition on behalf of the Ontario Nurses’ Association—all those fantastic front-line nurses who care for patients across Ontario. This petition includes 2,622 signatures from just the GTA alone, and it reads as follows:

“Petition for Better Staffing, Better Wages and Better Care in Ontario’s Public Hospitals.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas registered nurses and health care professionals are the backbone of Ontario’s public health care system; and

“Whereas nurses and health care professionals are fighting for better staffing, better wages and better care in Ontario’s public hospitals; and

“Whereas the government has the power to direct the funding and priorities for the Ontario Hospital Association in this bargaining process;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“Support nurses and health care professionals represented by the Ontario Nurses’ Association in their collective bargaining with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) by demanding the OHA reach a negotiated agreement with nurses that results in better staffing, better wages and better care in Ontario’s public hospitals.”

I could not be happier to support this petition. I’m going to affix my signature and I’m going to give it to page Liam to table it.

Il me fait plaisir de lire une pétition intitulée « Modifier les zones de gestion des appâts ... du Nord-Est et du Nord-Ouest.

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Alors que les zones de gestion des appâts dans certaines villes ne permettent pas aux pêcheurs d’acheter des appâts dans leur propre zone pour aller pêcher dans des lacs à proximité;

« Alors que 95 % des lacs approvisionnés à Hearst sont situés à l’ouest de la ville et les zones courantes font en sorte qu’il n’y a pas d’option légale pour les pêcheurs de se procurer des appâts et d’aller pêcher ces lacs;

« Alors que le gouvernement a investi beaucoup de temps et d’argent au cours des années pour assurer une population de truites élevée et saine pour que les pêcheurs puissent l’apprécier et en profiter;

« Alors que les propriétaires de pourvoiries dans la région ne peuvent plus se procurer des appâts en proximité de leur camp avec les zones courantes et ils n’ont aucune option routière à s’en procurer près de leur camp;

« En conséquence, nous, soussignés, pétitionnons l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« —demande d’offrir une exception ou une exemption pour les villes du Nord suivantes : Chapleau, Wawa et Hearst, où les deux zones se trouvent à être séparées basé sur la voie ferrée et les chemins routiers;

« —nous demandons au gouvernement Ford et au ministre des Richesses naturelles de modifier la législation des nouvelles zones de gestion des appâts pour faciliter l’achat de ceux-ci pour les pêcheurs, et d’assurer la continuité de ce sport et ce mode de vie qui représente tellement les gens du nord de l’Ontario. »

Il me fait plaisir de signer cette pétition et de la donner à Senna pour qu’elle l’amène à la table des greffiers.

It is such a privilege to honour the life of Larry South today. These tributes provide a moment to reflect on the duties and responsibilities and the joys of public service. It is an opportunity to give us pause, park the partisanship and acrimony, and contemplate the work that we are called to do in Ontario’s Legislature. It was with this in mind that I approached the tribute to Laurence “Larry” George South, MPP for Frontenac–Addington, who served his community from 1985 to 1990.

Larry South died peacefully in his 98th year at his beloved home, Larry’s Landing, on the St. Lawrence River near Gananoque, Ontario. This is a beautiful part of the world. I know it well and I love it, as did Larry and his family.

I want to also acknowledge that Joyce, his wife of 69 years, and his family are watching today’s tribute from home. Joyce, we send you our love and our sincere condolences on the passing of your life partner.

I truly enjoyed learning about Larry’s life of public service. I can tell you it provided a moment of hope for me. I honestly wish I’d had the opportunity to meet Larry.

It’s also worth noting that we should all be aware that at some point, as parliamentarians, someone in this place is going to get up and share information about us, so extending the effort to learn and honour the work of a former MPP is a positive way to inspire some good karma, and this was an easy task for Larry George South.

By all accounts, Larry South lived a life of service that would make any member of any political party proud. After serving in the army at the end of World War II, he pursued an engineering degree at U of T. He worked in many communities across this great province and brought his expertise as an engineer. Some of you may know that engineers in Ontario take an oath; some wear an iron ring to seal a deal. As engineers, they take a pledge to practise integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect and to uphold devotion to the standards and dignity of the profession, conscious always that their skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of the earth’s precious wealth.

Some of the best people I know are engineers. They are smart and they’re thoughtful, and let’s be honest, sometimes they’re a little quirky, and it seems that Larry was a similar fellow. He had a 25-year career with the Ontario Water Resources Commission, later the Ministry of the Environment. His engineering work took him across the province to small rural communities, large towns and cities; in other words, he got to know this great province.

For many of us, politics is very personal. It’s why the debates get very heated at times, but the personal side of our lives helps us do this work, which is why I was so intrigued by the story of Larry and his wife, Joyce. She campaigned daily with her husband and coordinated the telephone blitzes. I think it needs to be said that none of us could do this work alone. Our partners, friends and family walk alongside us, and we are better people for it.

In the early 1970s, Larry and Joyce discovered the waterfront property on which they would build their dream home. He and Joyce created a special place at Larry’s Landing. People from all walks of life enjoyed Larry and Joyce’s hospitality at social events, political events, reunions, parties and weddings. These were my kind of people. One of Larry’s favourite lines while sitting by the river was, “It would take a lot of this to kill a man.”

A firm believer in civic duty, democracy and advocacy, Larry worked tirelessly for his constituents. This is what they said about him:

“South was the only candidate to come and see me. He is visible, and he helps with local issues.” Public Service 101: Show up, listen, be respectful. This was Larry South.

“Politics for South is the art of being able to do for others, and his political motivation arises from what he calls a simple wish ‘to help people with the little things.’”

In addition to enjoying painting as a hobby, Larry designed and constructed a number of beautiful stone features throughout his and Joyce’s property.

Life for us in politics sometimes ends—it comes a little faster than we thought. But I will say that Larry filled his life with family and friends, and he continued to weigh in on politics in Ontario from his beautiful Larry’s Landing.

His infectious laugh and love of a good story ensured he was a popular person in the community. He was well respected because people saw him as somebody they could trust and someone who was in politics for the right reasons.

On behalf of His Majesty’s official opposition, I want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire family. Our province is a stronger, more vibrant place because of Larry George South.

Further debate?

It’s an honour to rise today to pay tribute to a veteran, a community booster, a father, a husband and an honourable member of this Legislature, Mr. Laurence George South, member of provincial Parliament for Frontenac–Addington from 1985 to 1990.

Larry South was born and raised in Toronto’s east end. He attended Malvern Collegiate and went on to serve his country in the army in World War II. When he returned, he got his education, getting a bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Toronto. But it wasn’t the most important thing about attending U of T. It was there that he would meet Joyce. Joyce and Larry would spend the rest of their lives together and raise four children.

Joyce and Larry built their dream home on a waterfront property that became known as Larry’s Landing where they raised Greg, Brenda, Kevin and Nancy. It’s where they watched their family grow with the arrival of their grandchildren Heather, Jack, Evan and Fiona, and great-grandchild Jonah.

Larry was passionate in everything that he did and, as I’ve been told, was a master storyteller. Larry knew what he wanted, where he stood, and he would let you know with a smile and a story. He liked to laugh.

An engineer by trade, Larry was passionate about serving his community and, like every good politician should be, he had a positive vision for the future. He saw, at a time when most people didn’t, that we needed to protect our environment and natural resources. Larry had a 25-year career with the Ontario Water Resources Commission and brought his expertise to this Legislature and to the work here. He understood that governments had to take action to protect our natural spaces and ecosystems and to reduce waste.

I like to look back on Hansard when we have a chance to do these tributes and read some of the things that, in this case, Larry had to say. You can see in the Hansard his passion and sense of humour, and here’s a really good example. When debating the budget in November of 1989, the topic was a tax to help with the disposal of tires—I think we can all remember that. Larry had this to say to his colleagues across the aisle: “I ask the member opposite who disagrees with this position whether he has travelled on the Toronto subway recently and seen the caption: ‘Politicians are like disposable diapers. They will take 70 years to become environmentally friendly.’” And it’s still true today, maybe.

Then he went on to say, “I wish to repeat that the opposition has failed to understand the problem that presently exists. This measure will reduce the potential environmental hazards of used tires. It will cover the disposal of the tires and research into innovative recycling methods. Is this an unfair tax? I do not believe that it is.”

And from that same debate, Larry’s quoted as saying “A clean and safe environment is one of the cornerstones of our efforts to improve the quality of life in Ontario.” Some 30 years later, I think we’re all still fighting that battle.

I spoke to Jim Bradley who served with Larry, and here’s what Jim told me: The riding that he served was a big riding, and not an easy riding to run as a Liberal, and in parts of it, it’s true today. So Larry worked hard to get elected and then to serve the people of his community. Larry knew that the important things in our job here are those everyday things that we can help people with.

To Joyce, who I know is listening today, and to all his family, the life of an MPP isn’t easy. Many of us have to leave our families and travel great distances to be here at Queen’s Park. It’s hard for us. It’s even harder for our families. So I want to thank you on behalf of this Legislature and our party for sharing Larry with us.

Applause.

Speaker, if you seek it, you’ll find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. Bruce Owen, with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government, five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition and five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group.

Thank you very much. We give thanks for the life and public service of Larry South.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former Member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Bruce Owen, who was the MPP for Simcoe Centre during the 34th Parliament.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Owen’s family and friends: his son, Trevor Owen; his daughter-in-law, Heather Owen; his grandchildren Jonathan Owen, Benjamin Owen-Kelly and Alexandra Kelly; and his friend Brian Dixson. Also in the Speaker’s gallery today, we have with us David Warner, who was the Speaker during the 35th Parliament, and Steve Gilchrist, who was the MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments. Welcome.

I recognize the member for Simcoe–Grey.

We rise today to commemorate the life of a lifelong public servant and champion of the arts, Mr. Bruce Owen, member of provincial Parliament for Simcoe Centre from 1987 to 1990.

Bruce’s life was spent in service of his community as a lawyer, a judge, a city alderman and an MPP. His career was defined by a passion for improving the lives of others.

At Queen’s Park, Bruce was widely respected by his colleagues of all political stripes. He was a passionate, community-oriented politician who used his position to effect meaningful change. He was part of the leadership that brought Barrie Centennial Park, Kempenfest, the current RVH building and an MRI to Barrie. He also helped to bring Honda to Alliston and legislation that banned smoking in the Ontario workplace.

Bruce’s community involvement saw him assume a wide variety of roles, whether it was his involvement with the local chamber of commerce, his position on the Industrial Commission and Planning Board or his advocacy for mental health during his time with the Kiwanis Club—he was always working with and for his community.

His advocacy for the arts was an enduring theme throughout his life, and it was said that Bruce’s love for the arts was really demonstrated by the fact that he was always ready to solicit support for the local symphony.

His musical passion matched his ability and he was, at various points, a soloist in nearly every church in Barrie. He sang classic hymns at the Catholic parishes and Ave Maria at the protestant churches—maybe he was sending a message. In 1984, Bruce performed a solo in the papal choir when Pope John Paul II visited Canada.

Bruce proudly used his musical abilities as a tool to grow closer with the community he loved so dearly. His commitment to the growing arts was recognized in 2000 when he became the first community volunteer to be awarded the National Arts Centre award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring. Bruce opted to give his cash prize towards a new performing arts centre. Similarly, he was the recipient of the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award and the June Callwood leadership award.

As I said a bit earlier, I like to call some colleagues who knew the person we’re giving tribute to. I was talking to Jim Bradley today and I asked him about Bruce. He shared some of his memories about Bruce’s tenure here at Queen’s Park, and what he said was that Bruce cared deeply about the community he represented and served. He made friends across party lines and was well liked and well respected by his peers in this Legislature. He was not shy to let you know where he stood on an issue. He was dedicated to our party—as Jim said, he was as Liberal as they come—and he worked really hard to get elected to this Legislature. He ran a number of times. On top of that, he said Bruce was a community builder, whether it was his work or his volunteer efforts or his public service.

As I said earlier, our families and families of members past have to give up a lot. I know his son, Trevor, is here today. So, to Trevor and his family, some of whom aren’t with us, I just want to thank you. Thank you for sharing him with us here in this Legislature. He made a difference.

To Trevor; his daughter-in-law, Heather; grandchildren Jonathan, Benjamin and Alexandra: We are honoured to celebrate the life and service of your father and grandfather. He is remembered by his friends, colleagues and the people of Simcoe county whose lives he touched and improved with his kindness and dedication to service.

Applause.

The member for London North Centre.

It’s an honour to rise today to pay tribute to a former member of this great House. As we engage in these tributes, it really strikes you how the actions people undertake with a kind heart and an open heart last forever. It also strikes you about the character, quality and dynamism of individuals who have been able to serve in this House.

Bruce Owen was the former MPP for Simcoe Centre and served between the years of 1987 to 1990. The words that strike me the most when considering Bruce are service—service without thought of self or thought of reward—and also determination and further commitment. He had a very active life in politics and community activism outside of the Legislature as well, and he earned many accolades in his life. In fact, in his determined perseverance and his commitment, he tried eight times for a seat either at Queen’s Park or in the House of Commons, and eventually succeeded in 1987. He never, ever gave up.

Before I speak to Bruce’s professional achievements, I want to recognize the family and friends who have come here today to honour his life and career. Bruce is being honoured today by his son, Trevor, and daughter-in-law, Heather; his grandchildren Jonathan, Benjamin and Alexandra; his friend Brian; as well as David Warner and Steve Gilchrist, both members of provincial Parliament who had the opportunity to serve as colleagues with Bruce. Also, the family I’d like to recognize who can’t join us here today are his daughters Valerie; Pamela and her partner Ron; and grandchildren Brianna and Chad. Of all of his achievements, Bruce clearly surrounded himself with loving friends and family, an amazing personal life achievement.

Bruce was first elected to Ontario’s Legislature in 1987, and during that time, he worked on the committee of government agencies, general government and social development. Before politics, Bruce was a social worker as well as a tannery and furniture worker before passing the bar. Trained in law and having served as a Small Claims Court judge as well as alderman in Barrie city council, he was a passionate public servant who was well-known for giving time to his community when called upon. He was proud of his legislative success of banning smoking in the workplace, a controversial piece of legislation at the time, but something that we can all thank him for to this day. This act likely saved many lives and much suffering.

He wore many hats before, during and after his time in the House. He was credited for having a vital role in some of the developments in Barrie and across the province that we now enjoy. Some of them are his work to help get Centennial Park built, Collier Place and the Portuguese Cultural Centre. He also helped to found and access funds for Kempenfest, a large festival in Barrie including artisans, entertainers and other vendors. They will be hosting their 51st year this August. He also fought for large event and concert areas, something he continued to champion long after he retired from politics—again, that commitment and that determination to service. He also worked with international companies like Honda to bring investment into the auto manufacturing industry in Alliston.

His passion for the arts and music also had him experience some amazing moments. Bruce was well-known for participating not just at his church, but at spiritual places of different denominations, as long as he could sing and help others enjoy the gift of music. He would sing Ave Maria at Protestant churches, gospel at Roman Catholic parishes. He even sang a solo once in the papal choir when Pope John Paul II visited Ontario in 1984. I should point out here that Bruce was an Anglican, but he was ecumenical when it came to sharing the gift and the joy of music.

His role as the president of the Barrie Concert Association really spoke to his love for music. His work with the organization saw him work tirelessly to bring in performances from across the world into Barrie. For this dedication, he earned the National Art Centre’s award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring. Upon winning this award, Bruce said he felt “stunned and completely surprised—I’m just a small-town boy from a reasonably small city,” because he was the first community volunteer to win the award, and he reminded the interviewer that the last year’s winner was the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. But it was a well-deserved award for Bruce. Peter Herrndorf, the director general and CEO for the National Arts Centre stated that Bruce “has worked tirelessly for over 40 years promoting and touring the performing arts in his community.”

His time as the president of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club and mental health associations all speak further to his commitment to public service. For these efforts, he was awarded the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award and Ontario’s June Callwood leadership award.

I’d like to quote the people who knew and loved him best. His son, Trevor, said, “He always thought poverty was around the corner, so he was acutely aware of the failings of capitalism and the need for medicare, and that drove him—the drive to work so he would never be poor and to drive to help others for justice so they wouldn’t end up like he did with a blind eye.” Trevor also said, “When my mother died three years ago, he would weekly cook a meal for one grandchild that is health-challenged, and took him food every week and brought him groceries.” It is truly beautiful to read these heart-felt words from his son.

On behalf of the official opposition, we would like to extend our condolences to Bruce’s family members here today. Bruce had a life well lived and he exemplified service to his community as well as sharing his love of the performing arts. Thank you all for sharing Bruce with us.

Thank you, Speaker. If you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the late Mr. Bill Murdoch with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government. Thank you.

On behalf of the official opposition, it is an incredible honour to pay tribute today to Mr. Bill Murdoch, and I’d like to welcome his family to the Legislature.

He served in the various iterations of the riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound as a Progressive Conservative from September 6, 1990, to September 18, 2008; as an independent from September 18, 2008, to April 23, 2009; and, once again, as a Progressive Conservative from April 23, 2009, to September 7, 2011.

In the Canadian Parliamentary Guide, he’s listed as a farmer, and although he had a long and varied career in industry as a farmer, I couldn’t think of a greater compliment, and hopefully some day I will be listed in that guide as a farmer.

I never had the chance to meet Bill Murdoch, but I did feel his impact. I was on the board of the 2009 International Plowing Match. And the way plowing matches work, once you know you’re getting a plowing match, you go to the one before or a couple before. I’d never been to a plowing match—it never came to northern Ontario—so I went to the one in Teeswater. Now, I didn’t see that parade, but I was there for a couple of days, and everyone there was talking about Bill Murdoch and that parade, because that’s when Bill Murdoch was an independent. And the Tory party rode on their float, and Bill Murdoch rode on a fire truck. I’ve got to say, what I heard, he had a lot more support than the Tory party in that parade. I felt it. Although I’d never met him, I felt it. And I ran, as well, in the 2007 election. I wasn’t successful the first time, as Bill wasn’t successful the first time. But I felt that feeling. And I thought, wow, people feel that he’s standing up for them.

And it wasn’t the first time that he’d run afoul of his party, because in a 1999 Toronto Star article, he was described as a “Braveheart MPP,” partly for the movie poster that was in his office but partly for his habit of speaking his truth to power. Sometimes when you do that, when you buck the system, you pay a penalty. And Bill Murdoch was willing to buck the system for what he believed, and I really respect that.

And he paid—the one I really enjoyed: He was a parliamentary assistant for northern development and mines. He went out to placate us disgruntled northerners about something, ended up agreeing with the disgruntled northerners and losing his parliamentary assistant post. I really like that.

But the one that caught me by surprise, I have to say, was the headline, “Ontario Tory Mulls Move to Give NDP Party Status.” That one caught me by surprise, because, as everyone knows, I come from a long lineage of Tories. Actually, Ernie Hardeman is my uncle. He also has a bit of a history with Bill Murdoch, and I understand that. He truly believed in the legislative process, as we all do. When you truly believe in the legislative process, sometimes you think outside the box. He didn’t make the same jump I did, and I’m proud I made the jump, but he mulled it for a very important reason.

I’d like to end my time here with a quote from Bill Murdoch. It was from the Owen Sound Sun Times regarding his retirement. He decided to leave, and that’s something that, actually, very few of us have the chance to do. Often, people decide it for us.

When they asked what his greatest accomplishments were—and something that spoke to my heart: “But when you help somebody that has a hard time getting through the bureaucracy, which is one of the biggest downfalls of democracy is the bureaucracy ... I think that’s the biggest accomplishment, if you can actually go away saying we did help somebody.” Anyone who has done work in a constituency office knows that feeling.

And further he went to say, when they asked what he was going to do now, “I’ll still have my farm to run, I’ll still belong to the local service clubs, and I’ll still be outspoken. I just won’t be going to Queen’s Park anymore.”

As a farmer, as a parliamentarian, I couldn’t think of a life better lived. I’d like to thank the family for giving the people of Ontario his time to serve—to serve as a maverick, to serve as a farmer, to serve as himself. Thank you very much.

We give thanks for the life and public service of Bruce Owen.

Today, we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Bill Murdoch, who was the MPP for Grey during the 35thParliament; Grey–Owen Sound during the 36thParliament; and Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound during the 37th,38thand 39thParliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Murdoch’s family and friends: his wife, Sue Murdoch; his daughters, Karen and Angie Murdoch; his sons-in-law, Dale Snyder and Eamon Mac Mahon; his siblings, Elizabeth Harris and John Murdoch; his siblings-in-law, Gord Harris and Cathy Murdoch; his granddaughter, Luella Mac Mahon; and his friends Arnie Clark, Terri Clark, Ron Hopkins, Jean Hopkins, Sam Luckhardt, Kathy Luckhardt and Kelly Shute.

Also in the Speaker’s gallery with us today are David Warner, the Speaker during the 35th Parliament, and Steve Gilchrist, who was the MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments. Thank you.

The member for Timiskaming–Cochrane.

It is indeed an honour for me to rise in the Legislature today.

I’ll begin by telling a story about Eddie Sargent. Now, some here might remember Eddie Sargent. Eddie Sargent was the MPP for Grey North for one term, then that was followed by Grey–Bruce for the rest of his political career, and his political career mirrored my father’s: 1963 to 1987. Eddie Sargent realized that if you’re not going to be sitting at the cabinet table or you’re not from downtown Toronto, you had better do something to make a name for yourself, and Eddie Sargent was a character.

Here’s a story about Eddie Sargent: He was at a picnic in the summertime one year, and there had been a lot of rain. It was on a farm, and his car got stuck in the mud. They’re going to push the car, and Eddie Sargent comes up behind the car. He’s got his beautiful white summer suit on, and one of his supporters says, “Eddie, are you crazy? You’re going to ruin that suit.” He says, “That’s right, and they’ll be talking about it for years.” The fact that I’m telling that story today proves it true.

But do you know who told me that story?

I want to thank former MP Larry Miller, former MPP Norm Sterling, former MPP Bill Walker, MP Alex Ruff and also current MPP Rick Byers for their help in helping me establish some of these stories and facts about Bill Murdoch.

Outspoken, unconventional, standoffish maybe at times, but never dull: That was Bill Murdoch—unique, one of a kind. In this business, you’ve got to set yourself apart. You can be like most birds and fly in flocks, or you can be like the eagle and soar alone, and that’s what Bill Murdoch did, many times. He soared alone, because the tide was not with him, but that didn’t matter; he really didn’t give a you-know-what.

But he cared about the people he represented. When Bill came to this House—our House; your House—he came here to represent the people who sent him here. It really wasn’t that important what the people in the front rows were worrying about; it was what the people in his riding wanted to hear from Bill Murdoch. As my friend from Orléans said, Alex Ruff’s quotation after the death of Bill Murdoch was 100% on. I don’t have to repeat it, because you did. Bill was a template for anybody who wants to be a true constituency member who represents their people here at this Legislature.

I also want to thank Anna Sajfert—I don’t know if Anna is in the gallery; hello, Anna—for her help in putting this together, as well. She worked both for Bill Murdoch and Bill Walker, so I had a chance to get two opinions in, you know?

Bill started out long before I even got here. There are tales about Bill Murdoch. He brought a motion to this House—and Speaker, I think your friend and mentor Bert Johnson would have been in the Chair that day—to ban voicemail. If you look at the 10 reasons, it was almost like a David Letterman 10 reasons: “Top 10 Reasons to Ban Voicemail.” Look it up. For any of you people—and I know most of us have been sitting on hold for what seems like days, not being able to speak to another human—we know in the 21st century it’s not going to work. Bill probably knew it wasn’t going to work, but he brought it forward anyway, because he knew that the people down back home were going to agree with him 100%.

But he had his victories, too, and you alluded to it: Tartan Day, April 6—which, by the way, is my mother’s birthday. Tartan Day was something that was huge for Bill Murdoch. He was very, very proud of his Scottish roots, and when it was able to pass in this Legislature, that was a high point for him and his people.

I’ve got to tell you: When I got here, I butted heads with Bill. I was a new member in 2003, and some people might say I’m bull-headed—I can’t imagine why—but I butted heads with Bill. But I soon realized I might as well be butting heads with that wall over there, because Bill was an immovable object. When he had his mind made up, you weren’t changing it.

So I learned to be his friend and we got along very well after that, and many times we agreed 100%. Some days we disagreed, not necessarily on the issue, but how we might manage the issue. And on that very first term I was in, Bill got together with another character, one of the other great characters. You know, we’re discouraged from being characters in this place anymore, because, “Oh, the party says we’ve got to do this, the party says we’ve got to do that. Oh, you know how this is going to look in the media.”

Another character was Peter Kormos, and many of you people over there will know Peter. I knew Peter well as well, because I got to sit with him as House leader, and I sat practically beside him when I was on the other side. So Bill got together with Peter and drummed up this crazy idea that Bill was going to become a member of the NDP, so that the NDP could keep party status after the 2003 election. Now, whatever happened, I wasn’t party to all of the conversations, but do you know what? Sort of like Eddie Sargent and the suit, people were talking about it for a long time.

But what he was: He was a champion for the underdog, and I think maybe you see that in yourselves sometimes. He said, “When I have the opportunity to actually speak for”—as my dad used to say—“the little man, the little people,” he never said it in a derogatory sense, but he meant it in a way that they’re not in a position to speak for themselves. Well, Bill Murdoch made damn sure that he was here to speak for them. He was a champion for the underdog.

And I’ll tell you a little story—I know we’ve got all afternoon, right? Bill had a still, and somebody in the area had a donkey by the name of Carl. Now, Carl was becoming old and had become lame—a bad leg, sort of like myself, you know?—and he was going to be euthanized. Well, Bill took the donkey home to his farm, and he had that donkey for years. Carl, who obviously lived for years after that, was an animal just like Bill: He wasn’t going to give up.

Well, when Bill came out with his Billy Beer—Bill had a still down in Bognor swamp, and he brewed all kind of stuff, and one of the things he was brewing was Billy Beer. And in the case of Billy Beer, there were only 23 pints, because one had to be taken out for quality control. A pint was always missing. But on his label for Billy Beer, there was also a picture of Bill and a picture of Carl, and the inscription read something like this, because Carl had a nice bit of hair in between his ears. He said, “Billy Beer: Guaranteed to grow hair on your....”

Laughter.

Bill Murdoch.

It’s an honour to stand and help pay tribute to Bill Murdoch, who represented the riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound in its various formations from 1990 to 2011 here at Queen’s Park.

Born in Meaford in 1945, Mr. Murdoch was a lifelong community advocate. Prior to his entry into public life, he was a farmer, a businessman, a Freemason, a Legionnaire and a conservationist. He began his political career at the municipal level by serving as a councillor and reeve in Sydenham township for 12 years and then as warden of Grey county. He is the former chairman of the Grey county planning and advisory committee and former chairman of the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority. He served on the AMO board, as well as the Grey Bruce Tourist Association. Clearly he lived a life of public service.

His first bid to enter the Ontario Legislature for the Tories, the Progressive Conservative Party, for the riding of Grey in 1987 was unsuccessful, but he was never one to give up a fight. He ultimately won his seat in the second attempt in 1990 and served the people of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound for 21 years, winning five consecutive elections. During those 21 years as MPP, Mr. Murdoch served in government, in opposition and as an independent member.

One of the things he’s most well-known for, Mr. Speaker, is the creation of the Ontario tartan. The Ontario tartan, approved in the year 2000, is based on the tartan of Ontario’s first Premier, John Sandfield MacDonald, and it is green, blue, red and white. As those who might know the story know, it took a little while for that tartan to formally come into service and use because of some technical issues. But after six years of fighting the good fight, it was ultimately successful in the mid-2000s.

Mr. Murdoch was a man of conviction and of compassion. He was an advocate for his constituents and was never afraid to speak his mind and challenge the status quo. In fact, he spoke out against the Conservative government’s downloading costs to municipalities and for picking fights with teachers. For that, he was labelled a maverick and would continue to go on and often clash with his party and others. But he always stood firm to his principles and on behalf of his constituents.

He received many accolades over the years, but one that stood out to me was from the member of Parliament of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, Alex Ruff, who said, “Bill’s reputation for speaking his mind and ‘fighting for the little guy’ was known throughout the province, and I dare say, the country. Any elected official would be hard pressed to find a better constituent politician in the country to seek advice and learn from.”

After he retired from the Legislature and his life in politics in 2011, Bill was well known as a host of Bayshore Broadcasting’s Open Line show on AM 560. He hosted Murdoch Mondays, Midweek with Murdoch, Rock and Talk with Murdoch, as well as many other programs over many years. Outside of his work in the Legislature and as a farmer, Mr. Murdoch was a supporter of local music. At one point, he managed a band called the Tombstones, organizing many concerts within the local community. He also helped build the Grey Bruce Music Hall of Fame. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, playing hockey and baseball, and I understand that he was an avid collector of hockey jerseys as well as posters for the International Plowing Match going back, I think, all the way to the First World War.

He fought cancer for two years with dignity and with grace but ultimately passed away August of last year at the age of 77. He leaves behind a legacy that inspires many others to follow in his footsteps. He’ll always be remembered as a dedicated public servant, a fierce debater, a generous friend and a loving husband and father.

So to Sue and family and friends who are with us today, thank you for sharing Bill with all of us for so very long. He’ll be missed.

The member for Orléans.

We give thanks for the life and public service of Bill Murdoch.

Today, we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial legislature, the late Mrs. Marion Boyd, who was the MPP for London Centre during the 35th and 36th Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mrs. Boyd’s family and friends: her husband, Terry Boyd; her friend Joseph Addley; her siblings, Sheila Bauer, Marg Black and Dave Watt; her siblings-in-law Grant Black and Lin Watt; and her friends Nancy MacIndoe, Peg McArthur, Pat Schram, Kim Tessier and Dave Tessier.

Also in the Speaker’s gallery are David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament; Steve Gilchrist, MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments; and Marilyn Churley, who was the MPP for Riverdale in the 35th and 36th Parliaments and the member for Toronto–Danforth in the 37th and 38th Parliaments. Welcome.

I recognize the member for Don Valley West.

We had caucus on Tuesday mornings then, not in the afternoon, and Bill would show up for caucus at the last minute with a bacon sandwich, heaped with bacon. Why ruin a sandwich with lettuce and tomato, right? I’ve been told on good authority that more than once, down in the cafeteria when he thought they weren’t moving fast enough, he went around the counter and made his own bacon sandwich. That was Bill. And do you know what? He would always make sure he got enough bacon on that sandwich. But he always brought a real perspective to the table in caucus—always—and you can rest assured that we learned a lot from Bill. As rural members, we learned something from Bill: that at caucus, you don’t have to be shy. You need to bring that rural perspective.

And then that same day, Tuesday, we sat in the afternoon and Bill would always get the first statement. He would get the first statement, and then he would be out of here like a rocket back to the riding to serve his people—or maybe down to the Bognor swamp to make another case of Billy Beer; I don’t know. But he would get out of here on Tuesdays.

He also had, as you mentioned, what I would consider to be—and I know people say it’s believed to be—the largest hockey jersey collection privately held in Canada. It’s amazing: 700, maybe 800 jerseys. But I know this: If it’s the biggest one in Canada, it’s the biggest one in the world, because there ain’t nobody else out there who loves hockey like we do.

So I got to visit Bill’s farm one time—you’re talking about a farmer. I went to see Bill at his farm, and when he wasn’t out fighting for the little guy and he wasn’t brewing down in the swamp, he loved it on that tractor. I showed up unannounced one day, and there’s Bill in his glory, shirtless. The sun was beating down; it must have been 107 degrees. And he was as happy as you-know-what, sitting on that tractor and cutting hay, because that’s where he wanted to be.

Talking about Bognor, Norm Sterling was telling me that Bill came in one time and apologized. He said, “I know I’m not supposed to do that. I’m not supposed to be going to those people directly, but I went to the liquor board and I said, ‘You’ve got to get a cooler for the beer in the liquor store in Bognor because they need cold beer just like you guys.’ But I apologize”—he actually apologized for doing it. But that was Bill Murdoch. He felt those people down in Bognor needed a cooler? They’re getting a cooler.

You talked about the Tombstones musicians. Bill couldn’t sing, but he was the manager of the band. Not only was it the Tombstones—and they built that music hall of fame, they started it—but they also used a retired hearse as their vehicle for driving around to shows.

I got to sing down in Keady one time. Bill called me down to come and do a fundraiser for him. So we’re down in Keady, and that’s when I first met Susan, his wife. So I got to sing at the fundraiser and I sang with Susan. And after, when we got back to Queen’s Park, I said to Bill, “How in the name of Sam Hill,” as they say, “did you ever land something like Susan?”—a beautiful, charming woman with the voice of a nightingale. I said, “Bill, how did you do it?” He just laughed at me: “Yak, that’s my secret.”

But you’ve got to know that a guy is comfortable in his own skin when, one day, Bill comes into the caucus and says, “Yak, take a look at this.” I say, “What?” He shows me a picture, and I said, “What is that, Bill?” “Well, that’s a picture of my colonoscopy. Don’t you think that it’s in good shape?” He shows me a picture—because that was Bill Murdoch. He was so comfortable in who Bill Murdoch was, he says, “Yak, have a look at this.”

I got a chance to speak to Bill before he died, and nothing had changed. He was still the same Bill Murdoch, the one we shake our heads at, but the one that, deep down, you just got to love. He stuck to his principles: the principles he came here with were the principles he left with, and the principles that he retained until the good Lord called him. Bill believed in his people, he believed in the little guy, and he believed that if you or me or anybody else has a chance to stand up for the little guy, that’s our job.

I want to thank the family—Susan and all of the family joining with us today. I know, Speaker, you listed—did you list everybody’s names? Yes, you did; thank you very much—because I was so enthralled with all of other stuff. I want to thank you all not only for being here today but for sharing this unique and wonderful man, not only with us but with all of the people of Ontario. We miss him dearly. He leaves a legacy that, I dare say, will never be repeated ever again. God bless Bill Murdoch. Rest in peace.

Applause.