Ottawa Citizen

Longtime MP will be remembered Saturday

- BLAIR CRAWFORD bcrawford@postmedia.com Twitter.com/getBAC

The funeral for longtime Ottawa-Vanier Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger will held Saturday at Notre Dame Basilica on Sussex Drive.

Bélanger, 61, died Aug. 15, just nine months after he was diagnosed with amyotrophi­c lateral sclerosis (ALS). The diagnosis came barely a month after Bélanger won his eighth consecutiv­e election victory.

Bélanger’s death comes as his bill to amend the lyrics to O Canada to be gender neutral remains before the Senate. Bélanger, who lost the ability to speak soon after being diagnosed, used a computeriz­ed tablet to introduce the private member’s bill in the House of Commons in December.

In March, his fellow MPs honoured him by making him honorary Speaker for the day. Bélanger had been considered a front-runner for the Speaker’s job before the disease forced him to withdraw.

His last appearance in the House was June 10, for the final debate on the bill before it passed to the Senate. The bill is expected to be passed this fall.

News of his death prompted a flood of tributes from politician­s, constituen­ts and others moved by his battle with ALS. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced Bélanger’s death on Twitter, called him “a great friend, tireless MP and brave fighter.” Former prime minister Stephen Harper remembered him as a “great defender of francophon­e minorities.”

Bélanger also worked hard to expand human and democratic rights in Canada and abroad, particular­ly in Africa. In his obituary, his family thanked Canadians for their support and announced a fund to continue Bélanger’s work:

“The family is deeply grateful for the warm outpouring of words of support and tributes from across Canada and invites you to support Mauril’s legacy by contributi­ng to the Mauril Bélanger Community Fund, c/o The Ottawa Community Foundation (www.cfo-fco.ca), 75 Albert St., Suite 301, Ottawa, Ont., K1P 5E7.”

Bélanger is survived by his wife, Catherine, a stepson and three grandchild­ren. Saturday’s funeral is at 10 a.m. and will be followed by a celebratio­n of his life at a later date.

 ??  ?? Mauril Bélanger
Mauril Bélanger

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