I’m honoured to have the privilege to take a few moments to honour the late Gordon Miller—or simply Gord, as his colleagues called him—on behalf of our government.

In attendance today are some of Gord’s family and friends: his son, Doug; daughter-in-law, Flora; grandchildren Jamie, Geoff and Meghan; grandson-in-law, David; and great-grandchildren Brynn and Mason. I want to thank you for sharing Gord with us.

While I never served with Gord as a member, I did know him for many years when I was in local government. I wanted to learn how his friends and former colleagues described him, and what became clear to me is that Gord deeply cared about his local community. He was called “caring,” “a gentleman,” “a good neighbour” and the “heart of his community,” however, these kind words do not do justice to his lifelong dedication to rural Ontario and public service.

Gord was born in the small town of Jarvis in southwestern Ontario to George and Jane, who themselves came to Jarvis in the 19th century to start a farm. Even as a child from humble beginnings, Gord was involved in the fabric of his community. As an athlete in high school, he played baseball with other students in the surrounding area as an outfielder. Hockey legend Red Kelly, who used to play baseball with him, remarked that “when somebody hit a long ball, Gordon would just stretch out” his long, lanky “arms and, nine times out of 10, the ball would wind up in his hands.” Kelly never dreamed he would be a future politician. For a while, he wasn’t. After the passing of his father in 1945, Gord and his brothers took over the family farm and built a successful farming operation.

Gord’s career in public service undoubtedly began with the many ways he was involved in the local Jarvis community while he was a farmer. He was especially involved in his local church, serving as an elder and Sunday school superintendent. With his dedication to community service, it was a natural step for him to get involved in local politics. He served as a trustee of the Jarvis School Board between 1960 and 1967. He was elected as a councillor to Walpole township in 1968, reeve in 1971 and regional councillor of Haldimand-Norfolk in 1973. In 1975, Gord was elected as the Liberal member in Haldimand–Norfolk, defeating long-time PC member Jim Allan.

With someone so involved in local politics, it’s not surprising that he was elected to Queen’s Park on a local issue. Two years prior, a two-tier, six-municipality system was implemented, and voters did not like that new system of regional government. Gord was also against the new regional government, although he was never able to change it.

During his 15 years, he served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Transportation and to the Minister of Agriculture and Food, but he never lost touch with his local people who elected him. He was a dedicated champion for farmers, Haldimand–Norfolk and all rural Ontarians.

Following his time as MPP, Gord did not stop his community service, even though he went back to his original love: farming. He was named as Jarvis citizen of the year in 1990. He was an active volunteer with the United Way, Crime Stoppers, and served as chair of the West Haldimand General Hospital Foundation.

In 2017, former Jarvis resident and current resident of Woodstock, Allison Gowling, was asked to write a biography of Gord and his family, which was a lifelong dream of his. But even without the memoir, the Miller family’s mark on Jarvis is apparent. In fact, his farm is on the road that bears his name: Gordon Miller Trail.

Gord and I both have backgrounds in rural Ontario and local politics, and I have grown greatly to respect the work that he did throughout his long life. I believe that a quote from Gord’s former chief financial officer sums him up brilliantly: “He was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things.”

May you rest in peace, Gord Miller.

I appreciate the opportunity to rise today to pay tribute to Gord Miller, who came to Queen’s Park in 1975 as a member of the Liberal caucus. Gord is a political legend in Haldimand–Norfolk.

Again, I’d like to recognize and welcome Gord’s family to Queen’s Park: his son, Doug, along with his wife, Flora; grandsons, Jamie and Geoff; granddaughter Meghan and her husband, David; as well as their children, Brynn and Mason.

My predecessor, Toby Barrett, knew Gord well, and I have heard many stories in local political circles. Gord was known to give Toby a hard time over his opposition to wind turbines. However, the two agreed on at least one subject—a subject the member from Oxford alluded to. The people of Haldimand–Norfolk had never warmed to the idea of regional government. Gord knew this well as a municipal councillor. So in 1975, he ran provincially on the platform to scrap it, and he was successful. Gord would go on to serve as the MPP for Haldimand–Norfolk for 15 years, until 1990. While the scrapping of regional government did not happen during his term, Toby picked up the torch, and in 2001, the new Haldimand and Norfolk counties were reinstated.

I spoke with my good friend Dennis Craddock last week. Dennis became the provincial Liberal association CFO when Gord decided to run—a job Dennis still performs. He told me, “He was a giant of a man whose iron fist in a velvet glove dictated his life.”

Gord lived his entire life committed to community service and could often be found in an arena—in his early days as a player, in later years passing along his passion for the game to players as a coach.

A farmer by trade, Gord was a distinguished politician, a down-to-earth, down-home guy who easily related to those in the community.

Despite humble beginnings, Gord shared what he could give and began volunteering at a very young age, flooding the ice in the 1940s for local hockey players, an elder at the Jarvis Presbyterian church and a 75-year member of the Lodge.

Doug often wondered how the man he looked up to found time to do all he wished while still being a husband, father and eventually grandfather and great-grandfather. Gord always told his four boys—Doug, Barry, Glen and Alan—that his commitment to the community never seemed like work, but rather, it was fun.

I am told he always gave credit to the women in his life, who supported him and picked up any slack at home while he was away. Reta Johnson was Gord’s first love and mom to the four boys. Sadly, Reta passed away in 1973.

In 1976, Gord married Shirley Christmas, who was instrumental in helping Gord deliver scrolls and attending dinners with him.

Former MPP Jack Riddell and his wife, Anita, were two of Gord’s very best friends. They shared many committee trips while here at Queen’s Park, but their friendship extended well beyond the political calling.

I’m told Gord worked here at Queen’s Park and in our beautiful riding as hard as he did in his fields. I’d say that’s good rural Ontario stock.

As a lover of trees and the forest, Gord, well into his nineties, could be found piling wood on the property. He said it kept him young.

Last year, on February 23, Gord passed away at his Jarvis-area farm, where he first came into this world. He was three days shy of his 97th birthday.

Speaker, Haldimand–Norfolk is a better place because of the work Gord Miller accomplished and laid before us. In the community of Jarvis and beyond, his absence is felt as strongly as locals long felt his presence.