Windsor West MP Brian Masse said the news of Gary Parent's passing is not just sad news for Windsor-Essex but for Canada.
Parent, the former president of the Windsor and District Labour Council, passed away early Friday morning after a battle against cancer.
His son, Jason Parent, shared the news on Facebook.
"He is the strongest person I have ever known, and I am so proud to call him Dad," he wrote. "I will miss you tons."
The local labour giant inspired many in the labour movement and the broader social justice effort. His numerous causes included fighting poverty, fighting for the environment, and the health and well-being of children and youth.
The current acting president of the labour council, Mario Spagnuolo, recalled Parent as a personal hero. He first met him while serving on the board at the United Way of Windsor and Essex County. He said the council plans to commemorate Parent's contributions.
"We have some ideas on how to honour and respect him. We'll be talking about that as an executive, in conjunction with the family," said Spagnuolo. "We definitely will remember him, and obviously, at the Gary Parent Awards this year, it'll be more special because we just lost him."
The awards are in June.
Masse said he spoke with Parent on Tuesday.
"I was able to make him chuckle a few times. He had such a nice laugh," recalled Masse. "It was hard not to open your eyes and heart to understand what Gary was saying and trying to do."
For Dave Cassidy, Parent's passing comes at a transitional time. Cassidy is retiring as president of Unifor Local 444, a job Parent held decades previously.
Cassidy doubts we'll see another like him again.
"The length that Gary was around, over 40 years -- Gary changed the lives of so many people, putting millions of dollars in people's pockets through WSIB and benefits over the years -- I think he was one of a kind. There's not too many Gary Parents out there."