Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues here today. I particularly express condolences to all of my friends in the Conservative caucus. I was deeply affected by the words of the leader of the official opposition as we adjust to the enormous shock of losing a friend and colleague.
I regarded Jim Hillyer as a friend. We worked together here. Thank goodness that there are enough non-partisan moments that I had the great pleasure of knowing him.
I think that his strong sense of duty is exemplified by the fact that he insisted on being here for budget day. His commitment to this place and to his constituents is unquestionable.
I do not need to trespass on your time very long. I think that we share what the Right Hon. Prime Minister said. We in this place are community, and it would be good to know each other and love each other better.
We are bound together today, recognizing the inevitable, which is the fragility of life, the certainty of death, and, for many of us, hope for a world to come, and faith. All we can really do is hope that we have a life well lived in that blink of time allotted to us. In this, our friend, Jim Hillyer, excelled, with his wife, Livi, with four beautiful children, London, Taylor, Asia, and Nation. That family must know that we send them an enormous amount of love and condolence in this moment of their grief, which we share.
Rest in peace, dear friend, Jim Hillyer.