Excerpts from MP Arnold Chan’s poignant June speech to House of Commons
OTTAWA — In one of his final speeches in the House of Commons, Liberal MP Arnold Chan — who died Thursday after a three-year battle with cancer — delivered earlier this summer a poignant appeal for civility and decency in politics. Here is an edited version of his remarks:
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Mr. Speaker, I am so honoured to have so many honourable colleagues join us in the House today.
I have not taken the floor in some time and I am going to ask you, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues on all sides of the aisle, for some indulgence today. I have every intention of speaking to the substantive motion before us, but before I do that, I have some matters of a personal nature that I have felt in my heart for some time and need to get out, and I am going to simply say them if the House would grant me that dispensation….