SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — The Late Honourable Terry Stratton

Honourable senators, I rise today with a heavy heart, on behalf of the Senate Conservative caucus, to mark the passing of the Honourable Terry Stratton, a friend and former colleague whose life was a master class in service.

Those of us who had the privilege to serve alongside Terry will agree that he belonged to a generation of public servants that is becoming increasingly rare.

While many years have passed since he last sat in one of these desks, his reputation as a statesman never faded. He was a bridge to an era of decorum and grit, a man who understood that his primary duty was to the integrity of this institution and the democratic process it represents.

Senator Stratton was more than a member of our Conservative caucus. He was a proud Conservative in the truest sense of the word: principled, steady and guided by a profound belief in responsibility, service and country.

As my colleague Senator Plett recently reminded me, Terry was one of the finest campaigners many of us have ever known. He was a man of few words, but he lived by example. Even in his seventies, he routinely outworked all of us out in the field, putting up signs for our team with a level of energy that put younger members to shame.

Terry arrived in this chamber in 1993, appointed by the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney. He brought with him the grit of a businessman, the patience of a teacher and the soul of a true Manitoban.

Terry’s love for Manitoba was the pulse of his work. He didn’t just represent the province; he championed the values of the prairie kitchen table: fiscal sanity, the dignity of hard work and an unshakeable belief that you leave things better than you found them.

He carried that same prairie pragmatism into the engine room of our caucuses, where he became an indispensable pillar of this institution. Whether serving as Opposition Whip, Deputy Leader of the Opposition or later as Government Whip, he navigated the complexities of this chamber with a steady hand and earned the respect of colleagues across party lines. He understood that, while political battles are fought on the field, the integrity of the Senate must always be protected.

On a personal note, many of us will remember his quiet humour, his wise counsel and his unwavering loyalty. He carried himself with dignity, he treated others with respect, and he strengthened this institution through both his conviction and his character.

I remember the whip from time to time would tell me, “Senator Housakos, it might not be pleasant, but it is necessary.”

On behalf of Senate Conservatives, I extend heartfelt condolences to his children, Mark, Shannon and Geoffrey, his grandchildren and the love of his life, Marie.

Thank you.