It gives me great pleasure to introduce the one and only, hip-hop artist from Ontario, Bishop Brigante. He’s here with his wife Melanie McVey, his dad, Oscar Parra, and his friend Atiba Roach. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

“Lowering the Age Criteria for Colonoscopy Testing to Save Lives.

“Whereas colorectal cancer is the leading cause of death for men, and early detection is crucial for successful treatment; and

“Whereas we believe it is time to change the age criteria that doctors use to determine when patients should undergo a colonoscopy; and

“Whereas individuals are considered eligible for a colonoscopy at the age of 50. However, alarming statistics show an increasing number of young adults, both women and men, being diagnosed with this deadly disease; and

“Whereas screening at an earlier age can detect and treat colorectal cancer in its early stages, significantly improving survival rates and reducing the burden of this devastating disease; and

“Whereas expanding access to colonoscopies for men and women in their thirties can identify precancerous polyps and detect early-stage cancers that may otherwise go unnoticed until they become more advanced and difficult to treat; and

“Whereas it is essential to address the rising incidence of colorectal cancer among younger individuals and take proactive measures to protect their health;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To lower the age criteria for colonoscopy testing and promote greater public awareness of the importance of early detection of ... cancer.”

I fully support this petition, Speaker, will affix my name to it and send it to the table with page Isaac.

I would like to thank again the family behind this petition, who joined us today, for all their efforts. Thank you for what you did.

The supplementary question?

The House recessed from 1146 to 1500.

Debate adjourned.

Report adopted.

Report adopted.

Mr. Sarkaria moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 162, An Act to enact the Protecting Against Carbon Taxes Act, 2024 and amend various Acts / Projet de loi 162, Loi édictant la Loi de 2024 sur la protection contre les taxes sur le carbone et modifiant diverses lois.

First reading agreed to.

First reading agreed to.

I’d like to introduce my guests today. Our constituency team, our fresh group: Courtney, Patience and Eda are joining us from downtown Kitchener. And my dad, Brendan Clancy, is here; my kids, James and Zidra; and my husband, Ryan.

I would like to thank Kim Wilson from Bowmanville for submitting this petition:

“Extend Access to Post-Adoption Birth Information.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas current legislation does not provide access to post-adoption birth information ... to next of kin if an adult adopted person or a natural/birth parent is deceased;

“Whereas this barrier to accessing post-adoption birth information separates immediate family members and prohibits the children of deceased adopted people from gaining knowledge of their identity and possible Indigenous heritage;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to extend access to post-adoption birth information ... to next of kin, and/or extended next of kin, if an adult adopted person or a natural/birth parent is deceased.”

I fully support this petition. I will sign it and pass it to page Jeremy to deliver to the table.

I want to thank members of my riding and communities across the province for sending this petition to legalize missing-middle and mid-rise housing in Ontario.

“Whereas Ontario is facing a housing crisis; and

“Whereas the government has a goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031; and

“Whereas sprawl development has been shown to be more expensive and more environmentally destructive than infill development within existing urban boundaries; and

“Whereas current ... zoning laws prohibit the construction of most missing-middle and mid-rise housing developments; and

“Whereas we can address both the housing and climate crises by building missing-middle and mid-rise housing in existing neighbourhoods;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly to amend the Planning Act to allow for fourplexes and four-storey buildings province-wide and mid-rise housing ranging from six to 11 storeys on main streets and transit corridors as of right.”

Speaker, I support this petition. I will sign it and ask page Paras to bring it to the table.

J’ai une pétition intitulée « Appuyez la Loi de Chad »—a petition to support Chad’s Law.

« À l’attention de l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario / To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

« Attendu que l’Ontario est la seule province canadienne où il n’est pas interdit de dépasser un véhicule en passant par-dessus deux lignes jaunes pleines / Whereas Ontario is the only Canadian province that didn’t completely ban passing on double yellow lines;

« Attendu que cette manoeuvre peut s’avérer mortelle et que son utilisation ne devrait pas être laissée à la discrétion du conducteur / Whereas this manoeuvre can be fatal and its use should not be left to drivers’ discretion;

« Attendu que la Loi de Chad est appuyée par plusieurs municipalités, l’association des camionneurs pour la sécurité routière et des membres du service de police de l’Ontario / Whereas multiple municipalities, truckers for highway safety and multiple OPP officers support Chad’s Law;

« Attendu que la sécurité routière est l’affaire de tous et que le gouvernement de l’Ontario a la responsabilité d’améliorer la sécurité sur les autoroutes de l’Ontario / Whereas highway safety is a public concern and that the government of Ontario has the responsibility to make Ontario roads safer for everyone;

« Attendu que la Loi de Chad a été déposée à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario le 21 novembre 2023 et interdirait aux conducteurs de passer sur deux lignes jaunes pleines sur tout le territoire de l’Ontario / Whereas Chad’s Law has been introduced in the Legislative Assembly on November 21, 2023 and would prohibit drivers from passing on double solid yellow lines;

« Nous, soussignés, pétitionnons l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario / We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

« D’adopter le projet de loi 152—la Loi de Chad—dès maintenant / To adopt the private member’s Bill 152—Chad’s Law—now. »

Ça me fait plaisir de signer cette pétition et la remettre à Sarah pour l’amener à la table des greffiers.

It’s nice to see everyone again after a long time in our ridings. I have a petition from the Animal Alliance:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas thousands of compassionate citizens bring wildlife to authorized non-profit wildlife rehabilitation centres;

“Whereas on September 26, 2023, according to traumatized staff and volunteers of Mally’s Third Chance Raccoon Rescue and Rehabilitation centre, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry launched a massive military-style raid on the non-profit organization; and

“Whereas this is not the first time such unjustified actions have occurred; indeed in 2002, the ministry conducted a similar raid at the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre, seizing their raccoons;

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

“Explain why ministry staff conducted such a raid, if, as reported, there had been no site inspections for 18 months; and

“Transfer the raccoons seized from Mally’s Third Chance Raccoon Rescue and Rehabilitation Sanctuary to a licensed rehabilitation facility at the cost of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.”

I will send all of these petitions with our new page, Max.

I’m honoured to rise today to pay tribute to the late Mr. Andrew S. Brandt, who served as the Conservative MPP for the former riding of Sarnia, which later became the riding of Sarnia–Lambton, from 1981 to 1990. He was appointed the Minister of the Environment in 1983 and the Minister of Industry and Trade in 1985.

I’d also like to welcome Mr. Brandt’s family and friends who are here with us today and watching from home. I know the Speaker has mentioned your names, but it’s an honour to mention your names as well. We’re joined by his friends David Brown and Taylor Brown and former MPPs David Warner, Judy Marsales, Steve Gilchrist and Phil Gillies. Thank you all for being here.

Andrew S. Brandt, affectionately known by many as Andy, served in many elected roles over the decades of politics in the city of Sarnia. He was known as a leader, a negotiator, and was well-respected by his constituents and colleagues.

Before entering the stage of politics, Mr. Brandt owned a music shop, the Academy of Musical Arts, which gave him the opportunity to share his love of music and his own talents in playing many musical instruments.

Prior to his service in the Ontario Legislature, Mr. Brandt had already garnered a rich career in politics and public service. In 1971, he won his first campaign and was elected to the city of Sarnia council, where he served until 1975. He then went on to be elected as the mayor of Sarnia from 1975 until 1980, MPP for Sarnia from 1981 until 1990, interim leader of the Ontario PC Party from 1987 until 1990, and then head of the LCBO from 1991 until 2006.

Mr. Brandt was truly focused on building relationships, strengthening voices at all levels of government and staying true to one’s own morals and values. He rallied, during his years in municipal government, to raise issues that were important to his residents, who he always took time to connect with. He amplified their voices at many tables, including city council chambers, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, where he was the former vice-president, and as a member of the chamber of commerce.

His accomplishments made lasting impacts in Sarnia, including the approval of Highway 402, downtown rejuvenation and the establishment of the Sarnia Bay Marina, which was later renamed in his honour.

As a former MPP, Mr. Brandt pushed back against the federal government’s energy program, despite his party being largely in favour of it. He served as the Ontario PC Party interim leader during a difficult period and was credited with breathing new life into the party during his leadership.

Despite a tireless career in politics and community service, Mr. Brandt always approached absolutely everyone with a deep respect, no matter their challenges or their circumstances. He was admired for his calm nature, laid-back attitude and his jovial approach, including the many jokes he made to break the ice. Mr. Brandt was truly a dedicated representative, a man of community service and a dear friend to many.

He held several other prestigious roles, including head of the LCBO, as was mentioned, former president of the Kiwanis Club, former chairman of the United Appeal, over 20 years chairing the Lambton College Foundation and honorary member of Canada’s three armed forces. Every role was fulfilled with dedication, determination and the highest level of engagement.

I’m honoured to pay tribute to Mr. Andrew S. Brandt and all that he has done for Sarnia and the province of Ontario. I would like to thank Mr. Brandt’s wife, Patricia; his two daughters, Sheree and Lori; his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren all for sharing him with Sarnia and the province of Ontario. We all know that we’re not able to do this job without the loving support of our families, so a big thank you to them.

Mr. Brandt lives on in his immortalized words in Hansard and in the many results of the accomplishments and achievements he made throughout his political career. Most of all, he lives on in the lives and memories of his loving and proud family and all who had the pleasure of knowing him and sharing his vision, laughter and leadership.

It’s an honour today to pay tribute to Andrew S. Brandt—or Andy, as he preferred to be called—who served the people of Sarnia in these chambers from 1981 to 1990 in various roles.

Although I didn’t know Mr. Brandt personally, I’ve been told that he lived a life of service and leadership. He always strived to make a positive difference and left a lasting legacy.

Born in London, Ontario, in 1938, Mr. Brandt discovered his passion for music at an early age. He spent lots of time on the music scene and went on to become a professional accordion player. He was a man of many talents and his renowned band, Andy Brandt and the El Dorados, gained wide recognition in the community. He always wanted to promote the importance of music to our youth, so later he founded the Academy of Musical Arts, where he taught and inspired many aspiring musicians.

Mr. Brandt had a calling for public service, and prior to being elected as an MPP, he first served as an alderman and then as mayor from 1971 to 1980. Shortly after taking office as alderman, he said he wanted to be remembered as the man responsible for changing Sarnia’s direction. Accomplishments during this tenure included the approval for Highway 402 and working with private developers to rejuvenate the downtown core.

In 1981, he was elected as the MPP for Sarnia and joined the Progressive Conservative government of Bill Davis. During this time, he held various positions, including Minister of the Environment, industry and trade, and consumer and commercial relations. He was a strong advocate for his constituents and a respected voice in this Legislature.

Mr. Brandt then took on the tough task of being the interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives in 1987 after the party suffered a devastating defeat, something I can relate to. Andrew led the PCs through some of the toughest times in their party’s history and he brought new life to the Tories. What that tells me is, he was able to bring people together at a time when everything was there to drive them apart, that he had that special kind of talent to be able to do that. Now, it’s said he wasn’t shy when he got to the mike, and that’s what I’ve heard. But no matter what the crowd, he was always cheerful and got a laugh. It’s funny, I was talking to Sean Conway, another long-serving member in this Legislature here, and what Sean said is, he really could have been a stand-up comedian. Whenever a hospital was saying, “We want to do a fundraiser,” he said, “Get Andy Brandt.” So it says something.

After he served here at Queen’s Park—everybody loved him here—he became the chair of the LCBO. He was appointed under my colleagues here on my right-hand side, who are actually on the left, and then reappointed under Dalton McGuinty. That says something about the kind of person that he was, that he could bring people together, that he knew what he wanted to get done. He revitalized the LCBO. I mean, all of us remember writing down those numbers and getting the brown paper bags. Things changed. That’s a good thing.

He was a musician, a businessman, a mayor, a minister and a leader. And he brought integrity, compassion and vision to this Legislature. He’s left a lasting legacy here in Ontario and beyond. I know that he will be dearly missed by his family, his friends and colleagues, who will always remember his kindness, his humour and his wisdom.

To all of his family who are here today, thank you for sharing him with us. We all know this: Our families give a lot to this place. We appreciate that, and I’m sure that Andy appreciated that as well.

Thank you very much, Speaker.

I’ll now recognize the member for Ottawa South.

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

I recognize the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Andrew S. Brandt, who was the MPP for Sarnia during the 32nd, 33rd and 34th Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Brandt’s friends David Brown and Taylor Brown. 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; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and Judy Marsales, MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament and chair of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians. Welcome.

We’ll begin by recognizing the member for Hamilton Mountain.

It’s a great privilege to be able to stand here today. I only attended the visitation, the wake, in the last two or three weeks for Andrew S. Brandt. I never knew until his obituary what the S stood for: Steven. I asked many, many people, “What’s the S in Andrew S. Brant?” And no one could tell me. I always thought it was for “success,” but I found out it was Steven.

I’d like to welcome—he’s already been introduced, but I will be introducing a special guest from Sarnia–Lambton today in the Speaker’s gallery, Mr. Dave Brown, or “Brownie” as he’s known back in Sarnia; and his son, Taylor, from Toronto. Dave is a long-time friend of the former member that we’re honouring today. From time to time, each of us as members have the opportunity to stand in this place and speak about our former predecessors, colleagues and friends, and Andy was all three of those to me. It’s a chance to recognize our former members for carrying out the responsibility that we’re all sent here to do, and that is to best serve the people of our communities and the province based on our abilities and our talents and whatever else we can bring to this place in our own unique way.

Andy was known by many names back home: Action Andy, the Chairman—I think Brownie hung that on him—the Happy Warrior. Mayor Bradley referred to him as a Happy Warrior. I always think of Al Smith, mayor of New York, back in the 1930s. That was the way they referred to Al Smith, and Andy Brandt certainly was a happy warrior. He had many other endearing terms as well.

Andy was the perfect example of someone who did things his own way, in a unique way, and was deeply respected and liked by everyone who had the chance to work with him. I wanted to mention that the member from Ottawa South talked about playing the accordion. He certainly did. He came here from London. He always told me he was born on the other side of the tracks. I don’t know, but he came to Sarnia and was successful.

He started the Academy of Musical Arts. He sold all kinds of accordions, gave lessons to people. Later, when he was on council, he was up in the council chamber one day and he was going to do some accordion lessons later, and he remembered he hadn’t locked the car. He ran downstairs and he said, “I better go lock the car. I left an accordion in the backseat.” And much to his surprise, when he got down there, someone had placed two more accordions in the back seat of the car. So I don’t know whether that was a reflection on Andy’s musical ability or what people felt about accordions, but we’ll leave that to others to decide. I always laughed when he told me that joke—it might have been a story; you never knew with Andy.

He had a long, accomplished career, as others have talked about here, in politics and public service. I won’t go into all the detail, because you’ve all said it many times—the alderman, city of Sarnia mayor, MPP, cabinet minister, then the interim leader. It was a very tough time, as the member from Ottawa South knows, leading, I think, a moribund caucus at the time—16 members, if I remember right—in 1987.

He knew the challenges, serving both in government and opposition, of balancing local needs with provincial priorities, of dealing with personalities and personal agendas, of election victory and defeat.

As Andy always said, “I’ve won, and I’ve lost. Winning is far better.”

Yet, throughout it all—all the debates and the political rancour, the partisanship and posturing—Andy understood that relationships were the key to moving things forward to a better place.

Andy, as I said, had many nicknames over the years—the Happy Warrior, Action Andy, Mr. Chair—but to most of us back home, he was simply Andy.

I remember one campaign, probably the one that reduced the Conservatives to 16 seats, where he didn’t even put a PC logo on his election signs back home—all it was in big letters was “Andy,” and everybody knew who to vote for. They voted for Andy and re-elected him, when a lot of others went to be defeated around that time.

I also had the great pleasure of knowing Andy for many decades, working for him. He was there the night I got nominated. I remember it just like yesterday—sitting right in the front row, beside me. I ran kind of a—I didn’t think it was that great a campaign. I looked around at what the other people had—they had videos, they had this and they had that. Andy reached over and he said, “Don’t worry, Bob. You’ll work out”—and so it did; it worked out for me. And in every election since then, Andy has always been there to be the first person to call, give me advice, to let me know what we were doing wrong, what we were doing right.

He was very influential as the former mayor of Sarnia, helping build the petrochemical hub, and the redevelopment of Sarnia’s downtown.

As the MPP for Sarnia, he also used his persuasive nature to secure funding for the Sarnia Bay Marina, now known as the Andrew S. Brandt marina, and the long-overdue completion of the Highway 402 between London and the Blue Water Bridge.

As the Minister of the Environment, Andy creating the drinking water advisory board, a first-of-its-kind committee of environmentalists who were tasked with commenting, criticizing and advising Andy and the Ministry of the Environment on their policy decisions. This is a quote from Andy: “Voice any and all of your concerns and my ministry will listen,” Andy told the committee members.

He was a rare politician who didn’t take things personally and never shied away from criticism, but rather saw it as a function of political responsibility.

Following the historic end of the Big Blue Machine’s dominance in Ontario politics, Andy was selected to be the steady hand on the wheel to guide, refocus and rebuild the party.

In his final days in the Legislature as the leader of the PC Party, he was lauded by three Premiers and three future Premiers for his humour, his humanness, his determination and dignity, and his commitment to both his party and the democratic process.

It has already been touched on about his career in the LCBO—15 years. He turned the once bland and outdated agency, as many remember—well, some of us in this chamber remember those days; I know there are too many younger ones who don’t. Under Andy’s leadership, the LCBO increased its annual sales by 94% and achieved 10 straight record dividends for the Ontario government. I think that’s why he was so popular with all three parties and ended up being the government.

He also chaired the Lambton College Foundation from its inception until 2018. In 24 years, he was instrumental in raising over $48 million for the college’s multi-million dollar expansion project.

Andy will always be remembered for his gregariousness and being outgoing.

But I think the one thing I’d like to close with, on Andy’s—some of his final remarks in the Legislature. He said that day, “In closing ... the unique democracy that we practise in this place is something that means a great deal to me. When we look at those things that are happening in so many parts of the world”—that could be true today—“and so many problems that have developed as a result of people not having this mechanism”—this place—“for vetting the various differences of opinion, and when you see that words are used in here as opposed to guns and violence in other areas, I believe you have got to appreciate that this is a very important ... and very critical process that just has to continue and one that we have collectively to protect to the extent that we can.”

Madam Speaker, it’s been 34 years since Andy made those remarks, but his words ring just as true today. On behalf of Andy and his family that have been mentioned before, I’d like to say that the lasting impact that Andy Brandt had on this province will be here for a long, long time and he will be long-remembered in Sarnia–Lambton.

Applause.

Thank you. I now recognize the member for Sarnia–Lambton.

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

Thank you, Speaker—

Speaker, I never had the chance to know Mr. Kolyn, but as I learned about him in the preparation of this tribute, it painted a picture of the man I believed him to be. He was a fighter: someone who wouldn’t give up. He ran several times before he successfully took his seat in this chamber over a generation ago.

He was a man of faith, an Orthodox Christian, which established his beliefs and his values. And he was proud of his Ukrainian roots and actively involved in the Ukrainian National Federation. He wanted to improve the lives of the people in the community he represented, as demonstrated by his help in securing investments for the Queensway General Hospital, now named the Queensway Health Centre.

He was a forward thinker, as demonstrated by the problems he sought to fix here a generation ago. He had concerns about the impact of changing technology on people’s lives. With the growing use of computers and other similar technologies in the 1980s, he knew that proper ergonomics would be key to office workplace safety and efficiency of the rapidly changing present and future. As such, his private member’s bill aimed to improve the health and safety of those using video display terminals, a technology that had grown in use during his time here in the Legislature.

He was a man of strong opinions and he wasn’t afraid to argue them. He could dish it, but he could also take it, as well. When he won a bid to write an editorial column in the Sun, he praised the journalists of the time who pulled no punches in critiquing the government, of which Mr. Kolyn was a part. Mr. Kolyn wrote at that time, “Those of us in politics need an occasional reminder of our responsibility to serve the people.”

But above all, he was a family man, and I am sure of all the things that defined him, this was the most important. I know this because I had the pleasure to speak with his daughter Linda. She shared her sister Donna’s eulogy for him and the obituary they both wrote together, the story of a man’s life at its end, as told by his loving and devoted children.

From her words I saw a man that no newspaper clipping could capture: Sunday afternoons lying on the couch with his children, listening to classical music; patiently teaching them to ride a bike; reading to them and later encouraging them to pursue their highest education and to follow their dreams; big family dinners punctuated with good-natured arguing on the topics of the day, because being a politician is a lifelong condition and its symptoms present often years before onset of the bug; his transformation from loving father to loving grandfather, a role that he gave his all to and more; his love for his soulmate, his wife, Stephanie, together for almost 65 years, and the tender care he had for her in her last and most difficult years.

Mr. Kolyn, Al, lived a long and full life. He passed away at age 91, surrounded by his deeply loving family. We remember him here today, a man who pursued politics for the right reasons and made it because he never gave up, a man of conviction and faith, a man who raised a family and loved them dearly. May he rest in peace and may God bless his soul.

Thank you to all the presenters and also thank you to the family and friends who have joined us today, either in person or maybe watching online.

I will now recognize the member for Humber River–Black Creek.

I will start by acknowledging the people that have joined us today. We are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Albert Kolyn, who was the MPP for Lakeshore during the 32nd Parliament. Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Kolyn’s daughters, Linda Helen Kolyn and Dr. Donna Marie Kolyn. 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; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and Judy Marsales, MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament and chair of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.

I will now turn to the first speaker for the tribute and will recognize now the member for Humber River–Black Creek.

Good afternoon, everyone. Today we gather to pay tribute to a remarkable individual who left an indelible mark on the political landscape of Etobicoke–Lakeshore and Ontario: Albert Kolyn, known to most as Al. I’d like to welcome Al’s family and friends to Queen’s Park: Linda Helen Kolyn and Dr. Donna Marie Kolyn, his daughters; David Warner; Steve Gilchrist; and Phil Gillies, who are in the chamber today. My dearest condolences to all of you and thank you for being here today.

As a former member of provincial Parliament for Etobicoke–Lakeshore, serving from 1981 to 1985 and representing the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Kolyn’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to his principles and tireless service to his community. He passed at 91 years of age on January 17, 2024. He is remembered as a faithful son, brother, husband and devoted father, businessman, politician, adjudicator and friend.

Born and raised in Fort William, Al moved to Toronto to start his career as a businessman. He was proud of his Ukrainian heritage and served as a member of the Ukrainian national federation. He often connected with other Canadian Ukrainians at the St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre and his church. A man of quiet and deep faith, he was a guide for many of those in his life.

In his spare time he enjoyed reading, music, golfing, hockey and bowling. He was an active Freemason throughout his life, where he provided mentorship and support to others. I know a little bit about that service group from my grandfather and father, but not too much.

As an MPP, Al worked hard for his constituents. He had a keen interest in politics and policy-making. During his years as MPP, he served as the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations and the Chair of the Standing Committee on Administration of Justice.

While he was an MPP for only a few years, his passion for politics and his passion for Etobicoke was his life’s work, and it showed. I thank you, Al, for your hard work and efforts, leading to positive change for our province and for the riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore, which you so passionately served. Today and every day, you are fondly remembered and honoured here at Queen’s Park and in the minds of all you touched. Rest in peace, Albert Kolyn.

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