An estimated 1,500 people, including Prime Minister Paul Martin and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, crowded into a B.C. church for the funeral of Independent MP Chuck Cadman.

"He brought with him to parliament integrity, sincerity and a quiet dignity – and in so doing, he lent nobility to the House of Commons," Martin said of Cadman, who cast the deciding vote that let the minority Liberal government survive a confidence motion in May.

"He really was a tremendous guy," Harper said.

Chuck Cadman fought tirelessly for tougher penalties for young offenders who commit repeat or violent crimes.

The service for Cadman, who died of skin cancer on July 9 at age 57, began at about 11 a.m. local time on Saturday at Johnston Heights Church in Surrey.

Cadman had represented the suburban Vancouver riding of Surrey North since 1997 as an MP for the Reform Party, then the Canadian Alliance and finally as an Independent.

Two hours before the service, hundreds of people began lining up outside under overcast gray skies.

Jodi Cadman, speaking at her father Chuck Cadman's funeral, remembered his skill as a musician.

Then about 500 people packed the chapel and many others watched the ceremony from an overflow room. Among them were many of Cadman's former colleagues from the Reform and Canadian Alliance parties as well as other MPs and senators.

His daughter, Jodi Cadman, was one of the first to speak, standing behind a podium next to a life-sized, framed picture of her father playing a guitar. He had been an avid musician all his life.

"I remember my father bringing me to preschool and I remember being so excited because he was bringing his guitar to sing to all the kids," she said.

Prime Minister Paul Martin praised Cadman as a man of "integrity."

'He was steadfast in his resolve'

The prime minister followed her, describing Cadman as a man who pursued justice and sought to protect the vulnerable.

'He was steadfast in his resolve to ignore all but that which his conscience dictated and that which his constituents desired.' –Prime Minister Paul Martin

Martin shared his memories of Cadman during the tense weeks before May 19, when the Independent MP gave the Liberals the one vote they needed to survive a confidence vote, thus averting a summer election.

• FROM MAY 19, 2005: Government survives 2 confidence votes

The prime minister said many people would have been crushed by the pressure as scores of people rushed to offer their counsel or waited to condemn any decision.

Cadman remained "serene" and "self-effacing," Martin said. "He was steadfast in his resolve to ignore all but that which his conscience dictated and that which his constituents desired."

Martin also paid tribute to Cadman's working-class roots and unpretentious style, calling the MP a "most extraordinary ordinary man."

Cadman, who battled the disease for two years, died at his home in Surrey with his wife, Dona, at his side.

Chemotherapy didn't keep Cadman from historic vote

Cadman flew to Ottawa to take part in the confidence vote despite having undergone chemotherapy for malignant melanoma only a short time earlier.

His support gave the Liberals the razor-thin margin they needed to survive as the House voted 152-152 on Bill C-48, a budget amendment that added $4.6 billion in social program spending and delayed corporate tax cuts.

Speaker of the House Peter Milliken, who is a Liberal MP, broke the tie by voting for the budget.

Cadman said he supported the budget bill on behalf of his constituents, who largely opposed the calling of an election so soon after one in 2004.

Son's slaying spurred Cadman into politics

A personal tragedy propelled Cadman into politics after years of working as an electronics technician for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

His 16-year-old son, Jesse, was stabbed to death on a Surrey street in a random attack by a group of teenagers in 1992.

Cadman and his wife became activists calling for justice reform and victims' rights. They co-founded the group Crime, Responsibility and Youth (CRY) in 1993.

Cadman supported dealing with first-time, non-violent young offenders outside of the formal court system and counselled teenagers who were deemed likely to commit violent crimes.

But he also fought for a tougher Young Offenders' Act, demanding stronger penalties for teenagers who committed repeat or violent crimes.

After becoming frustrated with what he saw as a lack of action by Jean Chrétien's Liberal government, Cadman ran for office and became a Member of Parliament in 1997.

Much of Cadman's work in parliament centred on trying to change the laws for young offenders and he served as justice critic for the official opposition, among other contributions.

In 2003, his efforts were rewarded when the Young Offenders Act was replaced by the stricter Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Cadman ran as an independent in the 2004 election after he lost the Conservative nomination to someone who had signed up more party members.

After racking up a surprise victory, he became much-courted by the federal parties under the Liberal minority government.

Cadman, who is survived by his wife and daughter, will be buried beside his son.