Member from nanaimo north carolina.

Thank you, mr speaker, I'd like to speak to the house about the recent passing of my friend mel schmidt mel was born april 8 1934 in barrier at home. He joined the ccf in 1955. He fought with his parents, often who joined the social credit league at exactly the same time. His membership card was signed by grace mcinnis order of canada. First woman mp from bc and js wordsworth's daughter.

He was a life member that honor being bestowed on him by dave. Barrett mel was a hard-working and dedicated person to his family to his fellow workers to his community. He was a great fundraiser as uh he was an avid hunter and fisher. He often organized an uh heritage game dinner in crofton he once organized a baseball fundraiser with a visiting likes of dave, barrett and emery barnes in his son donald's words. He never missed an opportunity to tell anyone how much better this world country would be.

If we elected more new democrats, even at age 87, this fall, he was putting up election signs shortly before his illness. For me, I spent the first 25 years of my working life on work sites. Logging tree planting construction mill, knew that world and then ability of working people. He simply believed that everyone deserves a decent share of the economic pie.

These were not steeped in left-wing ideology. It was a simple and practical belief. Conversations with mel for me were like tossing a ball back and forth. He loved sayings. He told me matter than a wet wasp. He said trying to some understand. Some people is like smelling the number nine.

He told me that ten pounds of stupid in a five pound bag equaled what I had just done.

He also said you can't build hope by ignoring reality only by facing it and mel schmidt was always ready for that challenge.