Honourable colleagues, as we near the end of Black History Month, I’d like to pay tribute to a Canadian parliamentarian, and a man of many firsts, for his commitment to upholding the values we so cherish and his service to the people of this great nation. From humble beginnings as the son of Caribbean immigrants who exemplified and passed on the honour in hard work and perseverance, a former officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force and a prestigious lawyer who was bestowed the title of Queen’s Counsel.

In 1965, as a candidate for the Conservative Party, Lincoln Alexander won the riding of Hamilton West, thus becoming the first Black Canadian to take a seat in the Parliament of Canada. It is said that it remained one of his proudest moments until his passing in 2012.

To say he left an indelible mark on this country he so loved would be an understatement. He won the seat at a time when it obviously wasn’t easy getting elected as a Black man or, for that matter, as a Conservative in an urban Ontario riding. The fact that Conservatives were considered a party of and for outsiders was said to be part of its appeal for the man who was known to friends as “Linc.”

Re-elected four times and serving for 12 years, Alexander also became the first Black Canadian appointed to cabinet. During his maiden speech as an MP, Mr. Alexander noted that he was not a spokesman for the Black man, stating:

. . . that honour has not been given to me. Do not let me ever give anyone that impression. However, I want the record to show that I accept the responsibility of speaking for him and all others in this great nation who feel that they are the subjects of discrimination because of race, creed or colour.

This would remain a guiding principle throughout Lincoln Alexander’s career and, indeed, his whole life. He didn’t claim that discrimination didn’t exist in Canada, and he certainly faced it himself, but he also stated that Canada, in its imperfection, was still the greatest country to live and prosper for people from all walks of life and all backgrounds.

In 1985, Alexander became the first Black Canadian named to a vice-regal position when the Right Honorable Brian Mulroney appointed him Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. As Lieutenant Governor, he took an active role in multicultural affairs, combatting racism and advocating for youth and seniors. He later served an unprecedented five terms as chancellor of the University of Guelph — succeeded by our own Senator Wallin — before going on to chair the Canadian Race Relations Board.

Known for his sound judgment, compassion and humanity, perhaps the word I most often hear to describe Lincoln Alexander is “integrity.” Alexander’s legacy lives on in his published memoir, the numerous schools, law school and even an expressway that bears his name, and on Lincoln Alexander Day, which is observed across Canada every year on January 21. More importantly, his legacy lives on in his family. We are so fortunate to have some of them here with us today, and I hope, colleagues, you will all make time to come to the third floor between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to say hello to that chip off the old block. Thank you, colleagues.