Book Review: PARADE

PARADE • Tributes to Remarkable Contemporaries
By Hon. Jerry S. Grafstein. Q.C.

381 pages • ISBN 978-1-77161-240-1

“(…) sometimes we in Parliament believe ourselves to be the lynchpins of unity, that it is mostly due to our efforts that we keep this country together. Sometimes we forget, and this occasion gives me pause to think about the activities of other active citizens who are interested in the country as citizens and who play a superbly active, exuberant role in keeping the country together.”

Dalia Wood: Tribute.  February 4, 1999.

Parade compiles many of the Honourable Jerry Grafstein’s greatest speeches and tributes from over three decades in politics and public office. With chapters on renowned Canadian political and cultural figures such as Morley Callaghan, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Joe Clark, Oscar Peterson and Peter Gzowski, together these tributes offer a rich portrait of individuals that have shaped Canada and the world.

The Hon. Jerry S. Grafstein is a Canadian lawyer and businessman. He served with distinction in the Senate of Canada from 1984 to 2010. He served for years as one of the key advisors to Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau (deceased), one of Canada's greatest and most visionary leaders.  In his book, Grafstein shares the reasons that led him to devote himself to public service and politics. The compilation of his speeches take readers on a journey through the many social, economic, cultural and political events that defined Canada towards the end of the 20th century up to recent times.