Thank you very much, Speaker. What an honour it is to speak today.

I rise and pay tribute to the former member of provincial Parliament for Etobicoke–Humber, Dr. D. James Henderson, someone whose dedication to his constituents and to Ontario was manifest in the three terms he served in this place, from 1985 to 1995.

Let’s all once again acknowledge Jim’s wife, Karen; his three sons, James, Christopher and Kevin; his two granddaughters, Iris and Emma; and Kevin’s partner, Kathy. Let’s also give a warm welcome to David Warner, former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, who is here with us today. Welcome.

A long time ago, George Bernard Shaw committed these words to posterity: “Some see things as they are, and say, ‘Why?’ I dream things that never were, and say, ‘Why not?’” This could equally be a commemoration of Jim Henderson. He didn’t need politics as a vocation—not for ego, not for acclaim, not for power. He had too many other talents and accomplishments for that. No, he sought a time in politics because he thought he could serve Ontario in a different and equally constructive and imaginative way. And that may be the one reason why Jim was legendary in our business—one which is noted for our high staff turnover—for loyalty and continuity. Many served Jim for years, and they served him well.

D. James Henderson was born in Sudbury on August 7, 1940. His family moved to Toronto in the early 1940s, where he resided for most of his life.

I imagine he was what we would call today a polymath, defined as someone of wide-ranging knowledge and interests. He was a physician, a psychiatrist, a psychoanalyst and an associate professor of these disciplines, all before he entered politics, after which he became a parliamentary assistant in multiple portfolios, an opposition critic and a crusading reformer on issues related to public health, culture and communications, and the welfare of children.

Dr. Henderson’s contributions to academia included the authoring of more than 50 papers and textbook contributions. He was fluent in Spanish too. Dr. Henderson’s passion for his work led him to lecture at the University of Havana, where he assisted with the reintroduction of the study and practice of psychoanalysis in Cuba. No wonder Jim spoke with such eloquence and thoughtfulness in this place.

To highlight, I’d like to share a small portion of his remarks, spoken here on November 19, 1987, in relation to the North American Free Trade Agreement: “We can preserve our culture and our sovereignty, for Canadians have never shown a deficit of patriotism. Our patriotic fervour, though strong, is of a quieter sort, that we reach down for and find with little difficulty when occasions warrant.”

As noted, Jim cultivated a special interest in developing countries in the Caribbean, organizing and leading trade and medical delegations there.

He enjoyed a love of wilderness and outdoors, serving for several years in his teens and twenties as an outdoor trip canoe guide at Camp Ahmek in Algonquin Park and at Camp Temagami in northern Ontario.

Jim was an MPP of conviction. He drew strength from his strong Catholic faith, and he believed in liberty and championed the principles of democracy. He faithfully and consistently spoke up for his constituents, as we are all called to do. But he always did it with complete independence of thought. He defied his own government on both extra-billing for physicians—an incendiary issue of the day—and on the Meech Lake Accord, which he felt in his bones was wrong for Canada. Maybe that’s why I’m told on good authority that, when he won his seat against all odds in 1985, he was overheard to say, “Well, there goes my” blank “life.”

On behalf of the PC caucus, we thank his family and his friends for sharing him with the people of Ontario for so many years, and we give thanks for the life of Dr. D. James Henderson. Thank you.