Mr. W. Chester S. McLure@Queens
wish most sincerely to associate myself with the well-deserved tributes paid by the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent), the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Drew), and others, to the late J. Lester Douglas. No man in this house, and very few outside of it, knew Mr. Douglas as I did. I had fought him for fourteen years in the political field. I had known him a great many years before that, and I must say that I found him to be a real man and a most honourable opponent. Furthermore, he had perhaps the greatest way of forming friendships of any man I ever knew. He also had the way of holding the confidence of those friends.
758 HOUSE OF
Tributes to Deceased Members As one of the representatives of the dual constituency of Queens, I wish to say this. The late Mr. Douglas was one of the finest representatives that the constituency of Queens has had. He was always ready to do a good turn, for anyone, when it was within his power to do so. As a further tribute to him I may say that he was active in all things of great interest to the younger people in the constituency as well as in the province as a whole. To his wonderful wife, his daughter and his two sons, I, as many other members have done, have already extended sympathy; but I think it is well that the records of this house should show that the deepest sympathy is extended to the bereaved by members in all parts of the house.
In closing let me say again that Mr. Douglas was a real man. On an occasion of this kind it is difficult for me to speak as I should of such a friend as he was. I can only say that as a man, as a citizen of our province, and as a representative of the people, he was one who will be long remembered. He has gone to his eternal reward, and we shall all miss him.
I wish also to associate myself with the remarks which have been made about Mr. Matthews of Brandon. He was a Prince Edward Islander, and the people of his native province were proud of his success, not only in our own province but in western Canada as well.