Condolence Motion (29 March 2023)

From Hansard (29 March 2023)

 

Passing of Regina MLA Derek Meyers

Mr. Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To Laurie, Dayn, Sebastian, Eisley: it’s a tough day and I don’t know what words can accurately express the loss of Derek.

Derek and I, we didn’t become friends until we became colleagues — we were elected in 2020 together — but I knew who Derek was from his time at Global. You know, I’m a big Roughrider fan, just like most of us in this room. I’d gotten the chance to watch him on TV the occasional time and I thought, you know what? I hope he gets elected — and he did — just so that I could finally meet the guy in person. And he didn’t disappoint.

You know, the very first few days after we were sworn in, when we were in the building together, my office was in the same corridor but not in the same unit. But there was more than once where we just about collided coming around the corner. He’d be coming into the building and I’d be going somewhere else. And it was always a greeting of, hey how you doing? And we’d stand there and we’d talk for 30 seconds, 60 seconds, and it was always about family. It was, you know, how’s Ang? How’s the kids? How’s Laurie? How’s the kids?

If Derek was having a bad day, you never knew it, plain and simple. You never knew if it was a bad day with Derek. He was always smiling. His attitude was infectious and it rubbed off on everybody, and I think I can speak for all my colleagues.

Last summer when we were at meetings and Ang and you, Laurie, and the kids went out together, and I think you did a bit of a field trip together, and Ang still talks about that day and how much fun it was. And we really want to be able to do that again. We really wanted to do it with your entire family and our entire family, and we will. We will, because I think Derek would want it that way.

You know, I can’t express enough how much Derek meant to me personally and I think to all of us here today. We were just absolutely blessed to know him. You know, to you, Laurie, to Derek’s parents — I’m so sorry; you should never have to lose a child — the extended family, siblings, and to anyone who Derek touched, I just hope that you find some inner peace and the strength to carry on.

And to Dayn, Sebastian, and Eisley — they’re not here today, but at some point they’re going to watch this I’m sure — your father was an absolutely incredible, passionate man. He cared about everybody he met. He’s going to be missed, but his memory is going to live on, and we’ll make sure of that. We will.

So may he — may Derek — remain in our hearts and may he rest in eternal peace. And just like the member from Swift Current, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, I received a text about two weeks ago. We were going back and forth. He said, “Otherwise it’s good. Hopefully you guys are good. We appreciate you being there. I’m going to try to pop by Monday.” Try. So next message was, “Hey, you know, you just take care of you first and foremost. You know we’re all with you on this, whatever it takes.” And his response was, “I do. The support is overwhelming. Our team is the best, just the best.”

Derek, you were the best. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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