Statement made on 11 December 2009 by Senator Dennis Dawson
Hon. Dennis Dawson:
Honourable senators, last night, the honourable Speaker brought us the sad news of the passing of our friend Jean-Robert Gauthier. I had the pleasure of serving in the other place with Jean-Robert. He had already retired from the Senate by the time I arrived. If you were to search for "Gauthier" in Google, I am sure that one of the first results to come up would be Jean-Robert Gauthier, that strong advocate for the francophone community — not only for Ontario's francophones, of course, but for all of Canada's francophone communities.
He was a pioneer in the debates on the Charter. It is no great secret that Jean-Robert and I were not always on the same side in many battles, but I nevertheless recognize that Jean-Robert Gauthier was an important pioneer in terms of his contribution to the Francophonie in Canada.
During the debate on the patriation of the Constitution in 1982, we did not see eye to eye. However, today I would say that Jean-Robert was probably right. He decided to stand up to his caucus and his party leader to assert his principles, to say that he believed in something fundamental in that process, and that he wanted to support it.
He continued his fight here in the Senate as he had in the House of Commons and later on behalf of the Montfort Hospital and Ontario schools. Jean-Robert Gauthier was a hero of the Francophonie, a hero of Franco-Ontarians, but above all, honourable senators, Jean-Robert Gauthier was a hero for all Canadians.