It’s an honour to stand today, on behalf of the Ontario Liberal caucus, to say a few words of tribute for our friend and our colleague Richard Patten, the MPP for Ottawa Centre from 1989 to 1990, re-elected in 1995, again in 1999 and again in 2003. He served as a minister in the Peterson government, and in opposition he was the critic for education, which was one of his passions.

The essence of Richard Patten was community building. He was always searching for a way to build his community up—and as we’ll hear a little later, his community was much larger than just Ottawa Centre, which was dear to his heart.

As the member from Ottawa Centre just said, he helped save Ottawa’s Aberdeen Pavilion from the wrecking ball, which is really, I would say, a nice unnamed monument to his efforts as a public servant. It’s still there today. It houses a farmers’ market. It’s a beautiful building. If you’re ever in Ottawa Centre and don’t make it to Ottawa South, make sure you go by the Aberdeen Pavilion.

He was also part of the team that helped save CHEO’s cardiac unit. At the time, in 2002, the government of the day wanted to close down the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s cardiac surgery unit. He was part of the team that helped save that.

I know he was very proud of that accomplishment, but not as proud as he was of a piece of legislation that he worked hard to pass here in this assembly: Brian’s Law. It was in honour of sportscaster Brian Smith, who was shot and killed in 1995 by a man who desperately needed treatment. That law, after it passed, led to early assessment of people in danger of hurting themselves or others and also led to the thing we know as community orders. That was an important improvement in the management of mental health in our communities. It took a long time to get this bill through, but it showed Richard’s drive to try to make the lives of others better.

As I said earlier, Richard’s world, his community, wasn’t just Ottawa Centre—and as we heard the member from Ottawa Centre say, it did extend past.

This was Richard as a young man—he worked at summer day camps for the YMCA and later on in different branches of the Y when he was at Sir George Williams University.

One summer semester, he worked with Palestinian youth in refugee camps in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Gaza under the auspices of UNRA and the World Alliance of YMCAs.

After he graduated from Sir George with a bachelor of arts, with a major in history and the philosophy of religion and a certificate in applied social science, he became the YMCA director in Montreal.

In 1969, he accepted a two-year posting to Georgetown, Guyana, as a trainer consultant to the Guyanese national council of YMCAs. His mission was to manage a process of reorienting the organization and to train staff across the newly independent nation.

In 1971, Richard became the director of international programs for the Montreal YMCA. With the expelling of Asians from Uganda, Richard negotiated an arrangement with the federal government to work with YMCAs and the voluntary sector across Canada to provide support for thousands of Ismailis in language, training, culture and job readiness, and to provide clothing and shelter.

In 1975, after all of this, Richard moved to Ottawa and became the director of international programs for the Canadian National Council of YMCAs. From there, he negotiated with CIDA and received funding to establish international development projects throughout the world in a three-way partnership between the recipient nation, supported by a branch of Canadian YMCA and CIDA.

I worked with Richard. I never had the pleasure of sitting in this Legislature with him. I knew him for about 30 years and worked with him for about 15 of those.

I wanted to reach out to my predecessor in this seat, Premier Dalton McGuinty, the former member for Ottawa South, because he spent a lot of time with Richard. Here’s what he had to say:

Richard’s commitment to public service, to making the world a better place by helping others, shone through everything he did as an MPP and in his years before and after. He cared—a lot. He found joy in service, especially in helping those who couldn’t help themselves. Ontario, and especially Ottawa, are better places because of Richard’s kindness and commitment to his fellow human beings.

I know his wife, Penny, is at home listening, and I want to say to Penny—well, first off, I didn’t meet Richard first; I met Penny. I was in another life. I was managing a store that was in their neighbourhood. We got to talking, as can happen sometimes with me. She knew our daughter was having a diet-related challenge, and she lent me a book. This is about 40 years ago. She was very kind. She said, “You should read this.” Penny, I want to say I’m sorry that I never got that book back to you. I still remember it, and I still have the feeling that I owe you something. Actually, we all owe you something. You shared Richard with this assembly, with Ottawa Centre, with this province, with the world, and that was a lot to ask of you. It’s not easy to be a partner, a spouse, of a political person, and I want to thank you, on behalf of everyone here and everyone Richard helped, for being that strong and supportive partner you were.

Applause.

Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the late Mr. Julian Alexander Arnott Reed, 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.

It is an honour and privilege to speak in this House today to honour the late Julian Reed, member of provincial Parliament, on behalf of the government and the people of Ontario.

Let me begin by welcoming his family and friends who are joining us today: his daughter, Melanie Reed; his son-in-law, Jeff Doupe; his grandchildren Shannon and Weston; and his cousin Linda Mcgregor.

It’s always a sad occasion when we rise to honour a former member of this House, but it does give us the opportunity to speak about their service to their constituents, their community and our province. We can reflect on the work they did in this House and in their community and talk a little bit about the character and personality of the individual.

Julian Alexander Arnott Reed passed away on January 6 of this year, at the age of 85. Former Premier David Peterson remembered him with fondness, saying, “He was a delight ... with a wonderful sense of the community. He loved to tell stories. He loved to talk. He was full of fun and love.” This was reinforced when I spoke to long-time Milton mayor Gord Krantz, who was re-elected for his 14th term last night, about Julian Reed. They worked closely, attending community events with their spouses, and Mayor Krantz remembers him as playing the banjo and as a jovial entertainer. He said Julian was known as a showman and a good singer.

Julian Reed served in this Legislature for the riding of Halton–Burlington from 1975 to 1985, being re-elected in 1977 and 1981. He retired from public life in 1985 but obviously decided he hadn’t had enough of politics, as he then was elected and served as the member of Parliament for Halton–Peel and then Halton, from 1993 to 2004.

The Reeds were an old family in Halton county and Halton region, with roots going back to the 19th century. Julian Reed was born in 1936 and grew up near Norval, east of Georgetown, on a farm that had been in the family most of the time since 1868. He had worked as an actor, seed salesman and pig farmer before getting involved in politics. I’m not sure which of these roles would have been a better preparation for a political career.

In 1968, he got his big break in show business when an agent saw him in a production of South Pacific. This led to work in a variety show and commercials. Mayor Krantz remembers him doing a Vicks cough drops commercial.

The political bug struck him when he got involved to save Norval Public School from being closed. He had met the Minister of Education and asked him if the only way to save the school was to run for office. The minister shrugged and said yes, and so Julian Reed ran for the Legislature.

He had a strong interest in alternative sources of energy—a man truly ahead of his time. He built a small power-generating station on the Credit River, by his family’s farm, in the 1970s, and another later, near Peterborough, connected to Ontario Hydro’s grid. In this Legislature, he spoke out on Ontario Hydro, biotechnology, energy efficiency and many other energy topics. He shared his great knowledge with the members of this House during the late 1970s and early 1980s in the energy crisis. When he went to Ottawa as a member of Parliament, he helped secure funding for an ethanol plant in Chatham and $11.9 million for biodiesel, both approved in the same budget. His passion for alternative energy was almost lethal one day, as he took a bottle of new diesel made of canola oil and 12% methanol to a lunch with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. The Prime Minister could smell the canola and took a drink from the bottle with the poisonous methanol. Julian Reed then took a drink himself, figuring, “If he was going out, I was going out too.” Thankfully, no by-elections were needed that day.

When one reads about Julian and what his colleagues thought of him, it is obvious he was greatly respected and loved—respected because of his commitment to the causes he believed in, including alternative energy, and because of the knowledge and skills he offered on these causes.

He was a great contributor to public life and public service, but he also knew how to enjoy himself and how to make others happy, especially his family.

He is missed by his family, many of whom are here today, and by his many friends, both in the Liberal Party and in the community he served.

We give thanks for the life and public service of Richard Patten.

Today, we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Julian Alexander Arnott Reed, who was the MPP for Halton–Burlington during the 30th, 31st and 32nd Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Reed’s family: his daughter, Melanie Reed; his son-in-law, Jeff Doupe; his grandchildren Shannon Doupe and Weston Doupe; and his cousin Linda Mcgregor.

I recognize the member for Oakville North–Burlington.

I am honoured to rise in memory of Julian Alexander Arnott Reed, a man of epic proportion. He made a habit of saying yes to life, and in doing so he lived a remarkable one.

He grew up on a farm near Norval that had been in his family since 1868. His early connection to farming, natural resources and renewable energy would shape the trajectory of his political career. However, Mr. Reed did not start out as a politician. After graduating from the University of Guelph with an associate degree in agriculture, Mr. Reed worked as a seed salesman and a pig farmer. But during this time, the stage would call to him, and he would answer yes.

Throughout his life, Mr. Reed poured his talent and passion into musical theatre. He dazzled audiences on stage with his acting and vocals, growing his knowledge of Ontario communities throughout the many regions in which he performed. One night, during a performance of South Pacific in Scarborough, Mr. Reed was discovered by a gentleman in the crowd. As the story goes, a man from the industry told him to stick with him for a few days, and he would break him into showbiz for real. All he needed was $200 for a new suit, $5 for a haircut, and to trust him. Once again, he said yes.

Soon, Mr. Reed was appearing on TV and in movies, in commercials and musical theatre. Mr. Reed was now in the big leagues. That seemed to be a pattern in his life: When he dedicated himself to something, he rose to the top.

Soon, Julian would dedicate himself to preventing the closure of his hometown public school in Norval. He met with the then education minister, who informed him that his only true recourse would be at the ballot box, so Julian said yes to that too. In 1975, Julian Alexander Arnott Reed was elected as the Liberal member of provincial Parliament, representing the riding of Halton–Burlington. There, he skillfully served for 10 years, gaining the love and respect of his colleagues. He served as critic for natural resources, energy, and consumer and commercial relations.

After an eight-year hiatus, Julian ran federally and became the Liberal member of Parliament for Halton–Peel and Halton between 1993 and 2004. He served in the Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin administrations, and as parliamentary secretary to the Minister for International Trade from 1997 to 1998 and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 1999.

I would be remiss if I did not recount a story that we’ve already begun to hear about the time that he attended a lunch at Prime Minister Chrétien’s home. Mr. Reed had become so excited about a new type of diesel fuel that he carried a sample in his briefcase to show off to everyone. Prime Minister Chrétien, seeing that Reed was carrying a briefcase, told him that this was not a working lunch. He said that he should loosen up. Mr. Reed apologized but explained that he wanted to show him something and proceeded to pull the bottle of diesel fuel out of his briefcase and give it to the Prime Minister. As the story goes, Prime Minister Chrétien took a swig, and Reed’s heart stopped. Mr. Reed weighed his options and then he took a drink too, figuring that if the Prime Minister was going down, they should go down together. Perhaps being an MPP and MP were the parts of a lifetime.

There was one part Mr. Reed returned to three times: Tevye, the lead in Fiddler on the Roof. It makes sense. Tevye and Mr. Reed were community leaders full of warmth and humour, committed to their values, and both possessed a great sense of responsibility and duty to those around them.

Most people are lucky to find one calling in life, but Julian found at least two in his. Mr. Reed is remembered as a warm, highly accomplished man with an unparalleled zest for life. We are honoured to have his family here with us today. Melanie, Jeff, Shannon, Weston and Linda, thank you.

It’s an honour to rise on behalf of the official opposition and pay tribute to the life and contributions of Julian Reed.

Shortly after the death of Julian Reed earlier this year, former Premier David Peterson shared these words: “He was a delight ... he was full of fun and love....You just could not help but like him.”

Farmer, actor, activist, environmental advocate, MPP and MP—throughout all the speeches that were given here today, there’s a theme that is coming out: Farmers have had a large contribution towards the advancement of this province.

You don’t have to dig deep to discover that Julian Reed was a man that made the most of the opportunities that came his way. Even in a place like this, where there is no shortage of compelling personalities, Julian’s backstory is a delightful blend of the conventional and the extraordinary that draws our attention. From the beginning, Julian’s identity revolved around performing and farming—in fact, his listed occupation on the House of Commons website was “actor-farmer”—and rural Ontario always remained close to his heart.

During his 10 years at Queen’s Park, he also became a respected voice on the environment, drawing attention to the dangers of PCBs and the unchecked increase of fossil fuel use, while advocating for energy conservation.

In 1985, Julian took a break from political life to revisit his interests in acting and farming and pursue a new career in renewable energy, only to return to elected life as the MP for Halton in 1993 as part of the Chrétien sweep.

Here, his passions would continue to guide him, burnishing his reputation among fellow MPPs as “a valued colleague who championed environmental, rural and small-town issues.”

But as I read more about Julian, it became clear that he didn’t simply stand out because of his skills. His true talent was his ability to combine his passion, experience and gifts in a way that left an indelible impression on those around him. In the recollections and tributes that followed his passing, nearly every story was punctuated by the way he touched people’s lives just by being true to himself.

In account after account, Julian’s growth and success stem from a capacity to evoke feeling in others—from the patron who launched his show business career following a moving performance, the communities that rallied around him to send him to Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill to ensure they were heard, and the colleagues that fondly remember him as a cherished mentor and friend. His ability to make people feel welcomed—accompanied by an infectious smile, sense of humour and tireless work effort—forged relationships that extended far beyond his political life.

As we acknowledge Julian, it is also important to celebrate his loved ones—both those here in person and those watching from home—and thank them for sharing him with the people of Ontario and Canada. The families of elected officials often shoulder the burden of elected office without sharing the privileges of public service. When Julian left Queen’s Park in 1985, he made it clear that his success would not have been possible without you, and we wholeheartedly echo that sentiment. We hope that our appreciation of your father’s service brings you some comfort in what has been a challenging year as you said goodbye to both mom and dad.

I dug out one of his last speeches that he made as the member for Halton on May 12, 2004, and I want to read it to you. He said, “Mr. Speaker, since this occasion may be the last time I rise in this place, it would be appropriate to point out that our tenure here is the result of the enduring support of many: our constituents, who vote; our loyal party workers, who keep the dream of democracy alive; our loyal staff, who have made it all work so well; and most of all, our families.

“I would like to express my appreciation to my bride of 44 years, Deanna, and our three grown children, Christopher, Robert and Melanie.

“To Deanna who regularly endured the loneliness of an absentee husband and who often filled in when I could not be in two places at once, to our three children who often endured political commentary, some of it unsavoury and uncalled for, I thank them all for giving me 10 productive and satisfying years of service to Canada.” Speaker, I think Julian had his priorities right, and I don’t think mom is lonely any more. They’re together.

In closing, the great poet and author Maya Angelou famously said, “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did, but how you made them feel.” Julian Reed’s legacy is a powerful reminder that success is not measured on accolades achieved, but lives touched.

Thank you, Julian, for your service to your community, province and country. Thank you to the family for sharing him. Rest well, Julian.

The member for Algoma–Manitoulin.

Thank you. We give thanks for the life and public service of Julian Alexander Arnott Reed.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. William (Bill) Grenville Davis, who was the MPP for Peel during the 26th and 27th Parliaments; Peel North in the 28th and 29th Parliaments; Brampton for the 30th, 31st and 32nd Parliaments; and who was Premier during the 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Davis’s family and friends: his wife, Kathleen Davis; his children and their partners, Nancy Bennett, Neil Davis, Ian Davis, Meg Davis, Ruth Davis, Rose Davis, Michael Bennett and Paul Giroux; his grandchildren, William Davis, Kerr Davis, Michael Bennett, Molly Giroux, Robert Davis and Samantha Pejic; his friends and former colleagues, John Tory, Steve Paikin, Sally Barnes, Fred Ross, Hugh Segal, Donna Segal, Sheila Donohue, Mitch Frazer, Steve Pengelly, Brian Flood, Pat Flood, Phil Gillies and Gordon Walker. Welcome.

I recognize the member for London West.

Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the Honourable William Grenville Davis, 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.

Speaker, it’s an extraordinary honour today to rise to pay tribute to the legendary late Premier William “Bill” Grenville Davis. I’m pleased to welcome his family, his friends, his colleagues, and his many admirers to the Legislature today.

Premier Davis was and is an icon in this country. His legacy continues to directly affect each and every person in this province every day. A respected, respectful, accomplished and kind politician, Premier Davis’s conduct provides an enduring example for each and every MPP who serves in this House. His ability to bring Ontario together is exemplified not only by the praise he receives from politicians across the political spectrum, but also by his ability to successfully manage two minority governments. In a world where partisan actors continually seek to divide us, our politics and province would be well served to follow Premier Davis’s ability to compromise, to engage in cross-partisan co-operation, and to respect and work with his adversaries.

It will come as no surprise, Speaker, that as leader of the Ontario Greens, I’m most impressed by Premier Davis’s ability to see through the short-term stress of the daily news cycle to make long-term decisions that have had an enduring positive benefit for generations to come: cancelling the Spadina Expressway to maintain the vibrancy and vitality and quality of life in downtown Toronto; his role in the creation of the acid rain treaties to protect the Great Lakes; the Niagara Escarpment act, protecting our beloved escarpment and laying the foundation for Ontario’s greenbelt; and, of course, his creation of the Ministry of the Environment.

The list of Premier Davis’s many accomplishments are far too long for me to list today. But I hope, Speaker, that members from all sides of this House can agree that when it comes to the big issues of our time—the stability of our democracy, the quality of our education system, and the protection of the land, water and air that sustain life in this province—Premier Davis was a leader that was ahead of his time. Everyone who calls this province home are the beneficiaries of his life and his legacy.

So I want to say to his friends and his family, and especially his wife Kathleen: Thank you. Thank you for sharing Bill with us.

And to Premier Davis: May we all aspire to your legacy. Ontario is forever grateful to your vision, your leadership and your service. May you rest in peace.

It is truly a privilege to say a few words of tribute to Premier William Grenville Davis’s—better known as Brampton Bill’s—remarkable life and contributions.

The 18th Premier of Ontario began his political career when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the MPP for Peel in 1959, a seat he held through seven elections until his retirement.

In 1962, he became the Minister of Education, and the budget for education increased fivefold. In 1971, he won the leadership of his party and remained the Premier of Ontario for 14 years. The amazing thing is six of those were in a minority government. Think about that. How often have we seen that happen? That’s skill; that’s real skill.

Under his leadership, the effects of the baby boom, immigration and a desire for more accessible education, he championed the construction of hundreds of schools, the creation of the community college system and the establishment of post-secondary institutions. He understood that the way to grow our economy was to have the smartest workforce, everybody operating at their best. He also built things like our GO Transit system.

He was a nation builder, so he strongly supported Prime Minister Trudeau’s 1981 plans to patriate the Constitution of Canada, and his role in the constitutional negotiations of 1981 was pivotal, resulting in the passage of the Constitution Act, 1982.

My personal memories of Bill Davis are in two parts.

He was first elected in the month I was born, in 1959. Now, I don’t really remember those first few months well, but what I do know is that he was Premier when I was growing up, when I was going to school, when I became a young father. So the things that he worked to put in place were some of the things that helped me succeed. And the impression, even as a young father, I had of Bill Davis—although you may or may not believe it, I wasn’t super political at the time; I don’t know what happened. But my impression was: He was a father; he was a husband; he was about family. He was kind of like Premier Dad.

It wasn’t until years later that I got to know his legacy and the things he did and accomplished to build up this province: the rapid expansion of our economy and the things that families depended on, like schools and health care; recognizing diversity in Ontario; taking care of the environment. He was ahead of his time.

Politically, he was a centrist—pragmatic, thoughtful, skillful—and those qualities helped him negotiate through six years of minority government. That is incredible, I repeat.

I can remember my father Jack, who was a Liberal like I am, saying to me, “I think Bill Davis would make a great Prime Minister.” Now, I’m not sure. Maybe at the time saying my dad was a Bill Davis Liberal would have been acceptable to Premier Davis—maybe not after. But what I want to say is the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. I think the same thing. We need to recognize the qualities of leadership in everyone, apart from our party differences. And his service, his approach is something that I think I would like to try to emulate in politics. It’s a good example to follow.

I asked a few people who I know who were former Premiers, as I am lucky to know a couple of them, to give me something to say about Premier Bill Davis. Here’s what Kathleen said—Kathleen Wynne, Premier Kathleen Wynne, I should say: “He was the 18th person to sit in the Premier’s Chair. I was the 25th. He, a truly Progressive Conservative; I, a Liberal. Premier Davis was kind to me. He understood the job I was doing. He never let me forget that he thought my partisan choice was misguided, but party stripe never coloured our conversations.”

Here’s what Premier Dalton McGuinty shared with me just last week: “It’s no exaggeration to say that Bill Davis set a very high standard for Canadian Premiers.

“I was just one of the many who was inspired by him. I was impressed by Premier Davis’s longevity as Ontario’s leader, but I was even more impressed by the quality of his leadership, his integrity, his courage, his commitment, his goodwill and, of course, his good humour. While serving as Premier, I learned that while Bill Davis may have then been retired, he was never retiring. Like many others, I was the occasional subject of his partisan ribbing. But try as he might, Premier Davis could never hide the truth: Deep down, he was inspired by love—love of family, love of community, love of country.”

Regardless of our political leaning, we would all do well to allow ourselves to be inspired by Bill Davis, a man honourable by name, a man honourable by inclination. And to Kathleen and all the family here today and all of Premier Davis’s friends and colleagues, I just want to say thank you to all of you for sharing him with us and for supporting him in doing the work that he did to make Ontario a place to grow and a place to learn.

The member for Guelph.

The Premier.

Orders of the day? I recognize the member for Barrie–Innisfil.

Report continues in volume B.

I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable life and legacy of William Grenville Davis, the 18th Premier of Ontario. It’s an honour to pay tribute to him in this House where he faithfully served the people of Brampton for over 26 years, including his time as the Ontario Premier from 1971 to 1985. I had the honour of speaking at Mr. Davis’s funeral last year and I’m forever grateful to the Davis family for allowing me that opportunity. I thank you.

I noted then that it was Mr. Davis’s steady hand that led Ontario for 14 years, winning four consecutive elections. And there were many good reasons that Ontarians continued to put their trust in Bill Davis. Most notably, he was someone who knew how to get big things done. He was the education Premier, establishing new universities and leading the efforts to create Ontario’s college system. He was the architect of our education system that is still the envy of the world today. It was because of Premier Davis that Ontario had North America’s first Ministry of the Environment. He also had a major impact on the national stage, playing a central role in the patriation of the Constitution.

His accomplishments are too many to list. There’s no question that Bill Davis was an incredible Premier, maybe the most impactful this province has ever had. But he was far too humble to talk about himself. He always wanted to know more about others. With all his success, the traits you heard most about him were his kindness, his humility and his unfailing decency. He earned respect across party lines and was always willing to find common ground. Even in retirement, he was always generous with his time and his counsel. If he could help you, he would.

As I said last year, he was a giant in Ontario politics, but he never behaved that way. He thought of himself simply as Bill from Brampton, and he was most happy up in Georgian Bay with Kathleen and the growing family that he was so proud of. He certainly left big shoes to fill, and all Premiers since his time have been measured against his legacy. While there will never be another William Grenville Davis, as public servants I believe we should all aspire to conduct ourselves in a way that would make him proud.

On behalf of the people of Ontario, I want to thank the Davis family for sharing Bill with us for so many years. His many accomplishments are also thanks to you. This province will always be grateful for that. I thank you, and God bless.

If you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to see the clock at 6 p.m.