Thank you, Larry Bagnell, for your more than 10 years of service to Yukoners.
You have proven to be an uncommon politician, both in terms of your commitment to your constituents and your self-sacrifice, in commuting to and from Ottawa, in attending events everywhere in the Yukon and in the time given to constituency and committee work.
While all politicians may be said to be self-serving, at least to some degree, how many others would have made the weekly trek back to the constituency, month after month, for their entire federal career?
Your attendance at community events, not at election times which expediency would dictate as the norm, but as your normal behaviour, distinguishes you.
You didn’t attend merely to glad-hand, but you were there as a participant, serving up the spaghetti and stacking the chairs. Your attention to constituents’ needs was singleminded.
Many Yukoners, of all political persuasions, have a “Larry story” that stems from some intervention, contact, or amusing anecdote that well illustrates the connection you made with people.
You have demonstrated that yes, you were a good politician, but more than that, a man with principles and dignity who respected his constituents and was there to serve.
We shall miss this level of commitment. We owe you a debt of gratitude for your service on behalf of all Yukoners.
We wish you well wherever your path takes you.
Richard and Margaret Griffiths
Whitehorse