Talking to Hillyer ‘was like talking to a neighbour’
House of Commons honours the life of Tory MP who died Wednesday at 41
OTTAWA— A day that normally would have seen parliamentarians pulling out their sharpest partisan darts was instead replaced Wednesday by a rare coming-together of MPs after the sudden death of Alberta Conservative MP Jim Hillyer.
The 41-year-old died in his office after returning to Ottawa this week following surgery to treat an infection in his leg.
He came back for the Liberal budget on Tuesday, but what should have been the first day of debate on it was instead deferred to honour Hillyer’s life and work.
Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose wiped away tears as she rose, referring to Hillyer as a colleague and friend with a goofy sense of humour who used his determination to champion causes including cancer advocacy and justice system reform.
“When you talked to Jim, it was like talking to a neighbour. It was clear he loved his life, he loved his wife, he loved his community and he loved his job.”
She described him as a dedicated husband and father, and a man of strong faith and conviction.
A bouquet of red roses sat on his desk in the chamber Wednesday as leaders rose to pay tribute.
Among those who admitted to not knowing him well was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who Hillyer once called “Pierre Trudeau’s pomp- ous parliamentary prince.”
Trudeau said Wednesday there was a lesson to be learned from Hillyer’s death — that MPs should spend more time getting to know one another.
Hillyer broke his leg in a skiing accident in 2013 and took three weeks off for surgery and rehabilitation. But he was plagued with infections that required surgeries. He often walked with a cane and some were surprised to see him back on the Hill this week after his latest hospital stay.
Hillyer was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011 for the Lethbridge riding in a campaign where he avoided interviews and was nicknamed “the man who wasn’t there.” Hillyer was a cancer survivor and had a bone-marrow transplant in 2003.
He leaves a wife and four children.