Mulcair marks retirement by calling on Canada to be champion of democracy
OTTAWA — Tom Mulcair was praised by friends and political foes alike Thursday as he prepared to retire from Parliament with a call for Canada to be a champion of democracy in the world.
More than a decade after his surprise election in a Montreal riding, which paved the way for the orange wave that swept through Quebec in 2011, the former NDP leader delivered his final address before leaving federal politics later this summer.
Much of Mulcair’s speech was spent thanking his family, particularly wife Catherine, as well as employees on Parliament Hill, while reflecting on the “unlikely, hopeful, slightly mad political adventure” that was his career in the federal arena.
Yet, he also threw down the gauntlet for those who will continue to serve in Parliament — and all Canadians — by emphasizing the need to continue defending the values and principles that define this country.