In 1931 , he was appointed to the Senate of Canada by his close friend R. B. Bennett to represent the senatorial division of Northern Alberta . In making the announcement , Prime Minister Bennett had this to say about him : “ Holding your wealth as a trust , you have given generously to every good cause and your life has been an inspiration to the younger generation . ” He sat as an Independent until he resigned for health reasons in 1936 . He was predeceased by both his wife Eileen and their child Patrick Michael . The Senator died in Calgary on February 24 , 1937 with his nephew John and family at his side . He is buried alongside his son in St. Mary 's Cemetery in Calgary . Upon his death , he left his estate to his nieces and nephews and many charities . The tax on the estate of the Senator was enough to offset the provincial deficit and balance the budget . As a result , the Social Credit Party chose to permanently eliminate the Provincial Sales Tax . Burns was known as a man of few words but great generosity . When a huge rock slide devastated the community of Frank , Alberta in 1903 , Pat Burns was among the first to send aid . Five years later , when fire swept through Fernie , British Columbia , leaving 6,000 people homeless , he sent carloads of food . He was a staunch supporter of many children ’s charities , making sure that the local orphanage was always well-stocked with free high-quality meat . He was an active Catholic but also supported other religious groups . When he was called upon to pay for the painting of a small Catholic church near Calgary , he requested that the Anglican church next door also be painted , at his expense , so that it did n’t look shabby by comparison . He was extremely generous to the Diocese of Calgary and donated large sums to St. Mary 's Parish . He donated three 750-pound bells to St. Mary 's Cathedral in 1904 that were cast by the Fonderie Paccard in Anneey , France . These bells were the only parts from the old building used in the construction of the existing Cathedral . He paid for the construction of Albert Lacombe 's " Hermitage " in Pincher Creek , and donated the land for the Lacombe Nursing Home at Midnapore , which he kept provisioned at his expense
rock slide
Frank Slide
Patrick Burns (businessman)