Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Well, here we are. This has been a long and harrowing road, a path, and I have a lot of sadness. I feel a little bit at peace but a lot of sadness today. I have some words prepared but, again, the time of blaming is over. Like, I have to respect all my colleagues and what their beliefs are. I have to respect their vote. And this has affected my family a great deal. And my three girls, I love them very much.

Throughout my life I've always been surrounded by powerful ladies, and my great-grandmother raised me. But when I leave here today, I got to still be a strong role model for my daughters and -- but life goes on. I'm resilient. I've always been resilient. I'm going to stay strong for my family and do the best thing I can to provide for them. And like I've always been taught, my ancestors before me, you know.

And like I said, it's been a long harrowing road. And I accept what's going to be said here, like, what's the vote going to be, but we are here. And one thing I will say, this is not any word of blame, this is not like I listened to some other precedents that have been set in other democracies. But I can't help but wonder if, you know, it would have went down in another part of the world, you know. As an aboriginal man, I've worked as a police officer in Saskatchewan, and I can't tell you how harrowing that job is to begin with. That's a scary job, to drive those farming communities and rural prairies, middle of the night. I've done that. I've dealt with the judge that let Colten Boushie go, the killer of Colten Boushie go. I worked with him before. He used to be a RCMP force lawyer.

And some of the things that are happening around the world right now, you know, a young Caucasian kid kills few people like in plain view, and he gets away with it. I'm not going to use my, the color of my skin anymore. I'm still going to go on. I'm still going to bat 60 percent of random searches at the airport, which I still do. I'm still going to be followed around the stores, make sure that I'm going to pay for my items. That's my life. That's what I live every day.

And with all this going on, I -- every single syllable that has left my mouth has been scrutinized, judged to the nth degree. And it probably will for some time. And I just, like I said life will go on. I apologize to the bottom of my heart for, if I caused any pain, hurt, fear. I would never hurt anybody. I would never hurt a fly. I would never hurt you. And apologize if I caused any fear and that's just -- I feel terrible, and that burns in my soul and this is something I will have to live with for the rest of my days.

But I will say that when I leave this Chamber, I will still serve where I can and when I can. I will still go out there and put my body, my mind and heart in harm's way because that's all I know. And I'll still hold my head up high. And I'll do the best I can for my family, and. And this is regrettable, and I will say that I will resign. I will prevent you from making this vote. I will save you that. I will do that and do you that honor. And that I could feel the will of the people in this room, and I will respect that. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.