Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, Brian Twerdin was born in LaSalle, Quebec, where he lived until he was 18 when he departed for what was then Frobisher Bay for a weekend to visit his brother. A weekend turned into a lifetime of great memories and activities that supported the community.

Brian met the love of his life, Elisapee, in Iqaluit in 1998. Not one to count the years together, Brian would tell Elisapee that every day was their anniversary. Together, they ran one of Iqaluit’s most famous, iconic coffee shops, the Grind & Brew, and raised two sons — Iola and Jimmy — as a blended family.

Brian was as much a fixture at the Grind & Brew as the pizza and coffee were. He was quick with a smile and a greeting to customers, as the Brew was also a safe place for people to warm up on cold days. Boston Bruins fans were particularly welcome.

The only thing Brian loved as much as his family was sports; he played hockey, baseball and football, and set records in many of them. He coached and was a pillar of Iqaluit amateur hockey, and many of Iqaluit’s hockey players were guided by Brian from the ice and then later in the stands. The Iqaluit Blizzard hockey team went on to win the Bell Capital Cup under Brian’s leadership. The Outlaws were sponsored by the Grind & Brew for many years.

Brian had friends everywhere he went — everyone knew Brian. In Iqaluit, in particular, he would often be found with Ed Picco, Hunter Tootoo, Kolola and his brother, Mike. Brian received much community recognition, including the Honourary Toonik, the Commissioner’s Award for Bravery and the lifetime achievement awards from Iqaluit Baseball.

In addition to the formal recognition, there are countless Iqalummiut who leaned on Brian for support, guidance and kind words. Several kids depended on Brian for a snack and advice. After his passing, the untold stories of how Brian impacted people’s lives started to be shared and are still being told. Brian passed away — after a brief illness — on his birthday this past December. His loss has been felt by many, including the community organizations that he supported not only with money, but also with constant advice and guidance.

I know that Brian is smiling down on us all today, and that he is celebrating the multiple-record-breaking regular season that the Bruins wrapped up this year. It may be the one time I root for a non-Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. Qujannamiik. Thank you.