Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, on November 20 we all received the shocking and sad news that our colleague and friend Senator Josée Forest-Niesing had passed away. She was only 56. Appointed in 2018, Senator Forest-Niesing only served in the Senate for just over three years, but in those three years it was clear to anyone who met her that she brought to this chamber a real passion and dedication to get things done.

Senator Busson, Senator Griffin and I had the pleasure of serving on the Senate Committees Mandates Working Group with Josée. We were a small group and worked closely together over several months to produce recommendations and ideas on how to best update our committee mandates.

One of our working group meetings was the last time I spoke to Josée. She was very ill at the time but insisted on taking part in the meeting’s discussions from her bed with the video off. She passed away only days later. Unfortunately, Senator Forest-Niesing was not with us when we completed our final report and presented it to the Senate Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament.

Colleagues, Josée’s passing is the loss of a strong voice in this chamber as an advocate for minority language communities. She defended access to justice and to public service in both official languages and in sign language. Her advocacy for Indigenous communities will also remain a part of her legacy.

So many from her community have spoken, honouring the impact she made over her lifetime of public service. This lifetime of service and experience would have only further enriched our work here in the Senate.

We will miss her friendship and her wonderful smile, as well as her valuable contributions to our work here in the Senate. Josée had so much to offer and left us far too soon.

On behalf of the Progressive Senate Group, I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to her husband, Robert, and to all her family and friends. Thank you.

[Translation]

Hon. René Cormier: Dear colleagues and members of the Forest-Niesing family, from the day she was born in Sudbury in 1964 until her sudden passing on November 20, 2021, Josée Forest-Niesing was engaged, devoted and possessed of an admirable drive that made her a brilliant and generous wife, sister, mother, grandmother and colleague.

She earned her law degree from the University of Ottawa and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1990. She spent her life serving the Franco-Ontarian community and became known as the Franco-Ontarians’ advocate in the Senate.

She spoke both of our country’s official languages fluently, elegantly and precisely, and she spent her career fighting for access to justice in both official languages. Her argument for the equality of both official languages was, is, and will remain a great source of inspiration to members of the Official Languages Committee.

Dear colleagues, we all remember the day she was sworn in, here in this chamber. Her broad smile and luminous gaze lit up the Senate.

I fondly recall her voice tightening up as she took the oath. There was a lump in her throat. She was deeply moved and filled with gratitude as she took the oath. She understood the importance of her first steps in this chamber as a Franco-Ontarian senator.

During her brief time in this chamber, Josée Forest-Niesing was driven by a deep desire to contribute to the modernization of the Senate. Her commitment to her work to update the mandates of our Senate committees is a legacy we can turn to in the future. Known for her honesty and integrity, Josée was so engaging and compelling, that we all wanted to work with her.

In response to a question that journalist Benjamin Vachet asked her on March 2, 2019, on ONFR+, about what she thought of the purpose of her role as senator, Josée responded:

The role of senator comes with great power and privilege, and I feel that only my imagination and time will limit me in doing what I want to accomplish. However, what I would like to do, as with everything I’ve done before, is to leave this place better than I found it. It’s simple, but it’s quite a lot!

Josée, I assure you that because of who you are and everything that you’ve done, you have left this place better than you found it. We are all grateful and we thank you today.

I want to conclude with an excerpt of a song entitled Whirlwind, written for Josée by her sister Dominique, that speaks to the character of our great colleague:

Inspired, resourceful, the whirlwind’s got a hold on me

Passionate, reassured, my life remains my own

Challenges, worries, it’s a choice, let it be

The whirlwind’s got a hold on me and I’ll always stay the same

Trusting and loving, the whirlwind’s got a hold on me

Passionate, reassured, my life remains my own

Challenges, worries, it’s my choice . . .

The whirlwind’s got a hold on me and I’ll always stay the same.

Thank you, Josée Forest-Niesing. My condolences to your family. Rest in peace.

Hon. Marty Deacon: Honourable senators, I wish to join today in celebrating the life of the Honourable Senator Forest-Niesing by sharing three memories I will forever be grateful for.

When I first had a chance to sit and talk to her shortly after her appointment — I knew the senator was from Sudbury — I sat and talked to her about Laurentian University, some work that I enjoyed there and my love for community. I assumed she flew to Ottawa each week. After all, it is quite a drive from Sudbury, especially in the winter months. When I asked her about this, she looked at me straight as day and said:

Absolutely no flights for me. I love my drive. I live for the drive. It is five to six hours of me and the road, just me and the road. I love my music, my podcasts, time to think, the scenery —

— The rock, clearly —

— It brings me great calm and peace.

I admired her appreciation for something so simple and somewhat arduous.

As time progressed and the future of Laurentian University became dire, we spoke again. During this time I was contacted directly by Laurentian faculty and students, and I knew the next step was to ask the senator for some direction on how to best support these devastated students, graduates and faculty.

In retrospect, that was one of my favourite moments and times with Josée. The passion with which she spoke about this institution, including her family history, betrayed a sense of almost personal responsibility that this must succeed.

Finally, there is one more interaction I continue to be grateful for. Les Jeux de la Francophonie are like an Olympic Games or Paralympic Games for francophone countries held every four years with 54 countries participating.

In Canada, we weren’t sure we were representing francophone Canadians in the most inclusive and right way. Immediately, I reached out to the senator to seek advice on how we could make this experience, this opportunity for francophone countries and Canadians, a little bit better. She was most helpful and insightful and helped us steer our thinking and actions, and for that Canada is so grateful.

Colleagues, as we have heard, Josée enjoyed and accomplished so much with us in such a short time. But it was in her day-to-day — sometimes even our routine — work that we all do that she showed a drive and passion for that I hope to carry with me in all of my endeavours. We will miss her deeply. Thank you. Meegwetch.