Thank you, Speaker—and I might be jumping ahead a little bit, but I do want to welcome the family of former MPP Mike Ray to the House. I know you’ll be identifying them later on.

Thank you, Speaker. Despite the circumstance, I rise with a smile on my face because I’m going to speak about one of the hardest-working community figures in my region of Windsor–Essex, Michael Ray.

Mike was a professional leader, leaving no ambiguity at all as to where he stood on a given issue. Mike set the bar high. From a young age onward, he stayed well dressed, with suit and tie. Even though he grew up in Hamilton and attended Western University, deep down Michael was always a Windsorite at heart. He observed, early on, the corollary of community benefits with strong, local political representation.

Our community was blessed to first gain Mike when he arrived at Essex District High School as a memorable business and economics teacher, widely respected amongst his peers.

While he loved teaching, a passion for law drew Mike in. He graduated from the University of Windsor law school in 1972, worked at the city of Windsor, and, in 1974, was appointed as the director of Legal Assistance of Windsor.

In 1980, Mike was elected to serve on city council on a platform that observed that the corporation could no longer be left in the hands of councillors who exhibited a lack of care or concern for the public interest, an unwillingness or incapacity to attend diligently to council business, or a disregard for the type of behaviour and conduct the public is entitled to expect from its elected officials. This said it all about Mike: high standards, high ethics, and high decorum.

Mike notoriously worked the phones like no other. He took feedback as an opportunity to do better. His campaign billboard truly cemented the clarity that Mike was known for. It had Mike’s picture, saying, “Mike Ray Listens.” He would arrive in-person with flowers when someone he knew passed away. He picked up the phone and called the people he knew and cared about to check in on them. He found the time. Mike was your friend, and you didn’t have to pay a heavy cost to be his friend.

Mike had a particular interest in environmental integrity, sound urban planning, fiscal responsibility and access to justice. He represented those who were unable to represent themselves. He didn’t pursue judicial appointments; he believed in public service.

In 1987, Mike was elected as the member of provincial Parliament for Windsor-Walkerville, and here too he didn’t shy away from candour and colour. He went head to head with his own government on multiple occasions. He would never abandon his studiousness in understanding the implications of his government’s policies.

In 1990, Mike returned to Windsor full-time and continued his work helping people. He rejoined the community legal aid clinic and worked hard to give Windsor law students courtroom experience. And even with significant opposition, he was successful in his efforts and brought those who were initially skeptical about the curriculum involving courtroom time for students as expert presenters. For his efforts and distinction, Mike was selected for the University of Windsor Law’s 2021 Builders of Windsor Law Award.

In the words of his long-time colleague Marion Overholt, Mike Ray was a committed and tireless advocate. Throughout his career, he was never afraid to say what he thought and to do what was best. He championed clinic law practice, and his tenacity and commitment to this community never wavered. As the director of Legal Assistance of Windsor, he advocated for opportunities for students to provide essential legal services to low-income residents at a time when student clinics were a novel and sometimes controversial idea. Mike persevered and showed the profession that providing students with an opportunity to learn and apply practical skills, all while giving back to their communities, was an essential component of their legal education and professional development. And watching him in action, you knew Mike knew his material, and any organization that had Mike’s experience in hand was one that you knew was truly left in good hands.

In closing, I want to thank former MPP Dave Cooke, Jamie Henderson, Marion Overholt and Al Santing, who helped me tell Mike’s story today, and former Windsor mayor Eddie Francis for introducing us.

And to Lea, Tim, Dane, Stacey, Cole and Cathy, who have joined us today, thank you for sharing Mike with us.

I rise on behalf of the NDP caucus and as the member for Windsor West to pay tribute to Michael Charles Ray, a former city of Windsor alderman, MPP, lawyer and community advocate in Windsor-Essex. Most importantly, to his family, he was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and uncle.

I want to welcome Mike’s family and friends who are with us today: Mike’s daughter Lea, her husband, Tim, and their son Dane—and thank you, Lea, for your time going back and forth with me as I prepared this tribute; Mike’s daughter Stacey and her son Cole; Mike’s sister Cathy; his friend Sharon Wyatt; and, as was mentioned, David Warner, the Speaker for the 35th Parliament here at Queen’s Park.

I also want to acknowledge Mike’s family who are joining us remotely from Ontario, Quebec, Florida and all the way into Scotland: Mike’s wife, Joyce; grandchildren Carmen and Reid; and Mike’s sisters Dee, Mary, Pat and Loretta.

Speaker, oftentimes when we pay tribute to a former MPP who has passed away, we start our remarks highlighting when the former member was first elected to the Legislature and their term as an MPP. It seems like the natural place for all of us to start. I’m going to start closer to the beginning of Mike’s story. Mike was born on August 27, 1936, and grew up in Hamilton in a middle-class family. His father, Art, was a sales manager at Stelco and his mother, Elvera, focused her time—and I would suspect a whole lot of energy—on raising six children. Mike was their firstborn, followed by five younger sisters.

His mom would play the piano for hours each day. Mike’s daughter Lea told me she had the talent to be a concert pianist but was too busy raising six kids. Mike was raised to appreciate music, something he carried throughout his life. He always supported the arts, like Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Light Music Theatre, and University Players.

He graduated from the University of Western Ontario with an honours BA in economics and political science. He received a teaching degree from the Ontario College of Education and started his career as a high school teacher. He met his wife, Joyce, also a high school teacher, while they were both working in Thunder Bay. They married in 1964 and moved to Windsor in 1967. Mike wanted to become a lawyer, so he returned to law school. He was a member of Windsor Law’s first graduating class and was called to the Ontario bar in 1973.

He was a man of deep faith, which was an important guiding factor in his life and something that he ensured was a central factor in his children’s lives, as well.

Mike followed the decisions made by different levels of government and public bodies, and he was immensely interested in the sociological impacts they would have on marginalized members of society. His daughter Lea shared with me that Mike would walk up and talk to people living on the street because he wanted to understand why they were on the street. He would often say to his children, “No one chooses to be homeless”—a belief that I also share—and as a lawyer and politician, Mike wanted to understand what brought them to that circumstance, what brought them to living on the street. He wanted to help change the systems that caused people to be on the street.

Mike worked as a lawyer and was director of clinical law at the faculty of law, legal assistance program at the University of Windsor. His passion for fair representation for all was something he proudly passed on to his law students.

He was elected to Windsor city council in 1980 and served as an alderman until 1987—we call them city councillors now.

In 1987, Mike was elected as the MPP for Windsor–Walkerville in the 34th Parliament. He proudly served as MPP until 1990.

He returned to law following his career in politics. When Mike left provincial politics in 1990, he said—and I think there are people here who can relate to this—“It’s a welcome relief from politics. It’s nice to get back into the practice of law. Politics was seven days a week—including nights and weekends—operating in two cities and constantly travelling back and forth. It was a full calendar.”

Mike was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus and served on the boards of the Windsor Port Authority and Windsor Police Service.

He was a member of the YQG Windsor International Airport board and the Windsor Regional Hospital board at the time of his death on October 7, 2021, at the age of 85.

Mike is remembered by his colleagues as “fun to work with,” “believed in freedom and democracy,” “a great fighter” for his constituents, and a very respected MPP. He always stood up for what he believed was right—sometimes literally moved to his feet during intense debates.

Mike cared about the environment and defended it constantly, from the local environment in Windsor-Essex to preserving and protecting the greenbelt.

People voted for Mike because they believed in him, and he never wanted to let them down.

Mike always thought that local community was where the best of life was lived and that Windsor was the perfect size to have a wonderful life. That is why he fought so hard to improve on our infrastructure, hospitals, the downtown core, which I am a proud resident of, and our parkland, and to have the Windsor waterfront preserved for public use. Speaker, the beautiful waterfront, which I believe you saw not too long ago, stretches for many kilometres, and that is his legacy to our city.

Mike was an incredibly caring and kind person. I share this from his tribute that was posted online:

“While in the hospital, Michael often remarked about the professionalism and compassion displayed by the nurses, doctors and other staff. He was reassured that part of his life’s work came to fruition with the ongoing efforts to provide quality care to the patients at” Windsor Regional Hospital. “Beyond his forthright manner and diligent quest for justice, he taught us all that doing the right thing was not always popular, but was the necessary path. Compassion was the basis of his morality, and his impassioned stories, whether anecdotal or serious, will be missed. Michael was a true scholar and a gentleman.”

Leading up to his final days, Mike took time to call his loved ones, family and friends to let them know how he felt about them. His biggest concern was making sure that his family was taken care of.

Speaker, I read through the tributes to Michael Ray that were shared after his passing, and I will echo what the member for Windsor–Tecumseh said. I was going to read Marion Overholt’s quote, but he already did. But what I will say is that Marion Overholt doesn’t give out praise easily; you really have to earn it, and the fact that she spoke so highly of Michael Ray shows what an incredible advocate and human being he was for our community.

Speaker, Michael Charles Ray is a man I wish I had the pleasure of knowing and learning from.

I join members of my community in honouring Mike for caring so deeply, for his lengthy years of service and unwavering dedication to our community.

And a heartfelt thank you to Mike’s family for sharing him with all of us and for sacrificing your time with him as he fought for the betterment of our community.

Rest in peace, Mike, knowing others will continue to fight the good fight and will follow the path that you inspired us to take.

I’d like to welcome Mike’s family to Queen’s Park today to hear all the beautiful stories about him. I hope they bring you some comfort.

I am honoured to stand before you today to pay tribute to Mr. Michael Charles Ray, known to most as Mike. He was a lawyer, an MPP, a son, a brother, a husband and a father. He is remembered by all of us in this chamber, his family, his friends and the people of Windsor, whom he so greatly served.

Ray attended the University of Western Ontario and OISE, receiving a teaching degree, and the University of Windsor, where he earned a law degree. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1973. He practised as a lawyer for years before making the jump to politics.

Mike and I actually have had similar political careers in that both of us got our starts as city councillors for eight years before making our way to the Pink Palace. Mike was a city councillor in Windsor, where he was an incredible advocate for his community and city. Former Windsor mayor John Millson said of Mike, “People voted for him because they believed in him, and he never wanted to let them down”—as you heard my colleagues say today. That is an example of why we all should be here—because our residents believe in us and because we should not let their needs down. Thank you for that, Mike. Thank you for being such a role model to us.

Mike was elected to the Ontario Legislature in the riding of Windsor–Walkerville on September 10, 1987, where he went on to serve until 1990. During this time, he acted as the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House. While he was only an MPP for a few years, his passion for politics in Windsor was his life’s work.

After his years in politics, Mike returned to law, working as lead regional counsel for the support and custody legal services branch of Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General. He also served on the boards of the Windsor Port Authority, Windsor Police Service, and YQG Windsor International Airport board. His guidance and foresight for the city and for the boards he served on was a positive force.

I thank you, Mike, for your hard work and your efforts, leading to positive change for our province and the city of Windsor, which you so passionately served and loved. Today and every day, you are fondly remembered here at Queen’s Park and in the minds of all the lives you’ve touched. Rest in peace, Michael Charles Ray.

Applause.