Hon. colleagues, thank you very much for your words in tribute to our friend and colleague, the Hon. Ken Dryden. As you said, we owe a great deal to our former colleague for the great moments he gave us on the ice, in his writings and right here in the House of Commons.
He was a man for all seasons, who contributed to this country and its identity in so many profound ways. As a hockey hero, lawyer, author of books exploring Canada's soul, politician, thinker, professor and, as so many of us here today know, as a gentleman. We are grateful for all the great moments he gave us, moments etched in our individual memories and collective consciousness.
He was a true Canadian hero, one of the greats, a model of integrity and humility, and a man who pursued excellence in a variety of areas. I will always remember when he arrived on the scene in the middle of the playoffs in March 1971, when Montreal and its team had run out of hope in the quarter-finals against the champions, the Bruins. It was a true baptism of fire for a young man with no NHL experience, whom we had never heard of, but who took us to the cup.
His career as a hockey player had so many dramatic moments, and yet as a person, he eschewed drama for civility. I recall reading that one time the fiery Johnny McKenzie, of what were then called the Big Bad Bruins, crowded in front of the net and ran into Ken's stick. McKenzie was ready to answer with a well-placed punch, only to hear Ken calmly say, “Excuse me.” McKenzie later said, “How could I get mad at a nice [guy who says sorry]?” It is as much a story about Ken Dryden as it is about the power of civility. Hockey and saying sorry, it does not get much more Canadian than that.
As a colleague, I saw him stay at an event well beyond what was expected because he would grant every last person time to share their Ken Dryden story, a moment that meant something to them during a game they saw in person or on TV.
Like with most heroes, there are many stories about Ken Dryden that help us better understand his impact and his contribution to his country. His arrival in my hometown of Montreal in the 1970s was momentous, even magical.
The fortunes of the Canadiens changes when the lanky Cornell-educated player from Toronto arrived in net.
I think Ken's time in Montreal also helped him, given his boundless curiosity, to more fully explore this country's passion for hockey and to discover some sense of Canada's soul and a love for the French language.
Here, in the House, Ken Dryden was always well spoken, always calm under pressure, just as he was on the ice, always listening and always wanting to do more for his country.
He was an inspiration to us and to all Canadians, some of whom immortalized him in works of art and even in a play.
After his death, a letter writer to a national newspaper said that if ever we are unsure of what to do, we should ask ourselves, “What would Ken Dryden do?”
These are wise words in tribute to a very wise man.
We offer our condolences to his family and hope that his extraordinary legacy will be a source of comfort and pride.
Thank you.