The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I received a notice from the Leader of the Progressive Senate Group who requests, pursuant to rule 4-3(1), that the time provided for the consideration of Senators’ Statements be extended today for the purpose of paying tribute to the Honourable Terry M. Mercer, who will retire from the Senate on May 6, 2022.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I didn’t think it would be this hard. It is a difficult task to sum up into words such a fulsome career as that of Senator Terry Mercer. His contributions over his life in politics to the people of Nova Scotia, and indeed to all Canadians through his work in this chamber, are numerous. I have known Terry for a very long time, and I have always appreciated his insights and, more importantly, his friendship. We will certainly miss his voice in our deliberations in this chamber, and what an unmistakable voice it is, but I am confident that he will continue his advocacy as he turns the page on this next chapter.

Senator Mercer was appointed to the Senate in 2003 by the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien. This appointment came after many years of involvement with the Liberal Party of Canada. He served as Director of Fundraising and National Director of the Liberal Party of Canada. I would have to say that Terry excels when engaging with people. He is what we would call a people person. This is particularly true when engaging with youth. There was no better example than his youth days on the Hill with Senator Munson. These events were a celebration of and for young people, and encouraged them to reach for their highest potential.

No one could accuse Terry of not knowing how to throw a good party, certainly not those of us for whom the annual Mercer Christmas party in his East Block office was a tradition not to be missed. Terry and his staff went above and beyond for these gatherings with plenty of food and live musicians. He always made sure there was a charitable connection too. Whether it was a monetary donation or a gift for those in need, the theme was giving, always giving. Terry is someone who just has a huge heart. I’m sure many of us have stories that highlight this admirable trait.

As Senator Munson wrote to me in reference to you, Terry, and to your retirement, and I’ll quote him, this is from Senator Munson:

Terry, you always brought people together and it didn’t matter to you who they were, or who they represented. Because it wasn’t about politics, it was about people. We lived and worked in a special environment — the Hill — and you understood intuitively, whether someone was working in a cafeteria, or a cleaner in one of our offices who was going home for the night, you stopped and made sure they were recognized.

Senator Mercer was instrumental when we first formed the Progressive Senate Group. As we were figuring out the direction of this new group, Terry took on — without hesitation — the role of caucus chair. When Senator Day retired from the Senate, it was Terry who approached me about leading our group. In fact, as I remember it, he asked me to be the leader saying Senator Dawson had agreed to be deputy leader with the stipulation that I would agree to be leader. Little did I know, Senator Dawson was informed that I would only be the leader if he came on as the deputy leader. It was a crafty ploy, but it worked.

Terry, as I bring my remarks to a close, I would like to personally thank you for your years of friendship. I want to thank you for all that you have contributed to this place, and I want to thank you for your years of service to Canadians. As you listen to the many tributes to you and your accomplishments — and they are many — it is certainly not the end of your story. I invite you to remember not what you are retiring from but what you are retiring to. You can now dedicate your time to your wife Ellen, your son Michael and daughter-in-law Lisa, and perhaps the two people most excited about time with grandpa, Ellie and Oliver.

Terry, I will miss that wonderful, distinctive voice in the chamber, and I will miss your passion for this job. But most of all, I will miss having you in the Progressive Senate Group. You make things exciting. Best wishes always, my friend.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, Senator Mercer — a ferocious, partisan, Liberal senator; fundraiser; bagman; organizer; winner. That’s what I always knew and understood and heard about Terry Mercer when I was summoned to this place. I had the pleasure of meeting him only in 2009, but everything I had heard about him was that he was a ferocious, partisan winner; that he believed in causes; that he was an unbelievable organizer and a legend amongst legends in the Liberal Party.

I came here to this chamber, and one of the first committees I sat on was the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, and many of you know I have a dear and fond love for that particular committee. I think it’s the best committee in the Senate, in this institution. In large part, I look back and realize I have such fondness for that committee because that’s where I met individuals like Terry Mercer.

I realized very quickly, besides the legend of the man in politics, there was a lot more to him than that. He was somebody who was kind, warm, sincere and intelligent. Even though, as you can imagine, colleagues, we rarely agreed on the politics at committee or in this chamber and we always fought on different perspectives, we fought with sincerity, with courage and with respect. Once the cameras were turned off and the mics were done and the debate was over, we spent a lot of personal time together. We did some studies that I think will make a great contribution to society and to this institution.

The times that I spent with Terry are where I saw that you can be fiercely partisan but very human. Because as we all know, in public life, we have moments where you receive some bodychecks. Isn’t that the case, Senator Mercer? When those moments happened to myself, believe it or not, Senator Mercer was the first to come over with some kind advice and a pat on the shoulder and to say “hang in there” and to share some experiences. That’s something on a personal level you never forget.

Then I delved deeper into the man, and I met people from Nova Scotia and I mentioned Terry Mercer and how ferocious and tough he is. They said, “Senator, he hails from the North End of Halifax. It’s the toughest, scrappiest part of Nova Scotia, maybe the country.” So I guess that’s where you get your toughness from. I know you are very proud of your province and proud of where you come from.

Your kindness has also been exemplified through the years through causes, Terry, that you have supported. They are worth highlighting, colleagues. He worked with tremendous fervour to support causes like the Kidney Foundation of Canada, St. John Ambulance Canada, the Lung Association of Nova Scotia, the YMCA, Diabetes Canada and is currently past chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada and, of course, he is a tremendous advocate, as we know, for ovarian cancer research.

Terry, you are a wonderful senator. You are a wonderful human being. You have brought honour to politics and to this institution, and you will have left your mark on this institution and on so many people whom you have touched here. Thank you so much.

Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, I would like to take a few minutes today to pay tribute to the Honourable Senator Terry Mercer, who I am happy to have called both a close colleague and a dear friend. Terry is rarely soft-spoken — and we’ve heard that mentioned earlier today by some — but his voice carries with it an enormous depth of wisdom, and his contributions have never failed to bring valuable insight into any discussion. I have always enjoyed listening to him speak, as Terry always brought humour and wit to our work. He has never been too shy to shout out a funny comment or observation and draw out laughter and joy. His easygoing manner made me feel right at home with the Progressive Senate Group.

With honesty, I can say that Terry is an extremely generous person. Of course, he has had a long and distinguished career, most notably in politics, but he has also worked extensively in the charitable sector. As a senator, Terry brought his experience to bear in advocating for and then chairing the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector. But for me on a personal level, Terry has also been incredibly generous with his time and wisdom.

I want to express my deepest and most sincere gratitude to Senator Mercer for taking me under his wing, sharing his wealth of institutional knowledge and helping me find my role as caucus chair. Terry left big shoes to fill, but his generous nature made the transition smooth, straightforward and almost effortless. Terry’s door was always open, and he made himself eternally available to me. At that time, I was a relative newcomer to the PSG, but Terry made me feel like I had been a member of caucus for a much longer time, and he made sure I always felt welcome. I will always admire his role as caucus chair of the PSG: how he helped keep the good ship and crew safe through the uncertain waters of those early days of the PSG.

Terry, wela’lin and thank you for your guidance, your wisdom, your wit and your friendship.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, on behalf of all my colleagues in the Office of the Government Representative, I also want to pay tribute to Senator Terry Mercer. Senator Mercer has represented Nova Scotians in the senatorial division of Northend Halifax for almost 19 years. He has done so proudly, passionately and, on many occasions, unabashedly loudly.

Seriously, colleagues, Terry’s efforts with and for many charitable organizations and philanthropic foundations have been both determined and tireless. His interventions in this chamber on behalf of charitable causes close to his heart have shone a light on the work of those charities and on Canadians who need and benefit from their support. The Kidney Foundation, the YMCA, St. John Ambulance Canada and Diabetes Canada are just a few of the causes that have benefitted from Terry’s efforts.

As Senator Cordy mentioned, he has experience as a professional fundraiser. That was invaluable when he sat on the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector. He understood as well or better than anybody the sector’s struggles and challenges.

Now, I don’t know what the statistics are relating to any one senator sitting on the same committee from the day he or she was sworn in until the day he or she retires — and I’m not a betting person — but I would hazard a guess, and probably put a few nickels down, that Terry Mercer’s tenure on the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry might be right up there in the top tier. His presence on that committee over almost two decades represents one of the mainstays and strengths of this chamber: institutional memory. Witnesses appearing before the committee knew that when Senator Mercer asked a specific question, he expected a very detailed and specific answer, especially from government ministers and officials. He knew his stuff and expected the same from all of them.

As a colleague, one never had to wonder what Terry might be thinking on any given issue. He always made his views known, and spending time with you, Terry, was always refreshing. You deserve your retirement. We wish you and your wife, Ellen, health, happiness, new adventures and time with your grandchildren. But you will truly be missed.

Thank you, Terry.

Hon. Terry M. Mercer: Honourable senators, many people ask me, when they come to this place, “How do you know that you’ve been here long enough?” I have a standard answer to that, “When you know where all the washrooms are, you’ve been here too long.”

I said that to someone in the East Block one day. And they said, “Well, you must know where all the washrooms are.” I said, “Well, I thought I did, but I found a new one.” I told them where it was, and they said there is no washroom there, and I said, “Well, there is now.”

Anyway, honourable senators, I am actually overwhelmed with gratitude today for all those kind words from you, colleagues. Thank you so much, honourable colleagues. It is very humbling. This is one of the only times in my life that I find myself almost speechless. But don’t worry, Senator Plett, I will get over that.

I’ve lived a wonderful life throughout my many career paths. They all brought me here, to this chamber, where I will walk away knowing that I tried to do some good. I wasn’t always successful, but it was the trying that matters. We are all so privileged to work here in the Senate of Canada.

I cannot help but think of what my parents, Bob and Bessie, would think of me today after serving almost 19 years here. I was fortunate enough that when I was appointed both my dad and my mom were both alive. My dad died before I was sworn in, but my mom was here for that. It is a very important memory to have. As a boy growing up in North End, Halifax, to be standing here is quite a thing. It was a tough part of town. It has become a bit gentrified now, but it’s still a little rough.

I cannot thank everyone in my family enough for their support and their wisdom. To my siblings Colleen, Bob and Paulette — and my brother Gerald, who is now gone — and to their spouses Bob, Robert and Bonnie, and my brother’s late wife Dot, I say thank you as well. I thank you not only for your sound advice but for your constructive criticism — sometimes too much of it — for that is how we learn to be better. Politics around the kitchen table was always interesting in my house and in my family, to say the least. It was almost a contact sport.

My path to the Senate was an interesting one, as many of you know. I would like to mention the late Walter R. Fitzgerald, who was the Minister of Labour and Minister of Housing in Nova Scotia and several times the Mayor of the City of Halifax. He gave me my first real political job as his executive assistant, and this is where I started to hone some of my political skills. But the voters of Nova Scotia would decide the next path in my career, as our government lost the next election in 1978 and I ended up unemployed.

I turned to the charitable and non-profit sector. The Kidney Foundation at the time was looking for their first executive director in Nova Scotia. I took the job and operated the office out of the basement of my house. I had an assistant who lived in another city and did the paperwork. It was a great learning experience, and it welcomed me to the charitable sector. I had been a volunteer in politics for most of my life up until that point, but it was here that I learned just how much more volunteers do and how they and the donors are the backbone of the sector.

After that, and a brief stint as executive director of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, I would go on to work with the Lung Association of Nova Scotia; the St. John Ambulance, Nova Scotia Council; the Metro Toronto Branch of Diabetes Canada; and the YMCA of Greater Toronto, which, by the way, is the third-largest Y in the world. That was where my career took a major professional turn. The Y demanded professionalism and made sure that you had it. They also helped introduce me to the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

For 60 years now, the AFP has been the standard-bearer for professionalism in fundraising, and I was honoured to be endorsed as a Certified Fundraising Executive. The AFP has been paramount to my professional development, and I thank all the people I have worked with over the years for their support.

It was also during this time that I continued my involvement in the Liberal Party of Canada. Indeed, while I was vice-president of the YMCA of Greater Toronto, I joined a leadership campaign. I became part of the Chrétien leadership team. Believe it or not, as a guy from North End Halifax, I was responsible for all of West End Toronto and part of the suburbs. We did quite well there, and I won’t tell Dennis my secrets of that time, but I know he has heard about them. Eventually I was asked to head the fundraising for the party, and within a year I became the national director.

Words can’t express how much I respect Jean Chrétien. As a matter of fact, I had a phone call from him last night. He was unable to be with me last night because he was away, but he did express his good wishes. I was so proud to have him do that.

There are far too many people to thank at the party office from when I became national director. They were some of the best staff that I have had the pleasure to work with.

I always made a point to support the Young Liberals of Canada and the Nova Scotia Young Liberals, as our youth are the future of our country, not only in the Liberal Party but in all political parties and movements. Young people have a dogged determination and drive to make a difference, and we would all do well to continue to support their efforts regardless of our politics.

Honourable senators, I recall vividly the fateful day in November 2003 when the then-prime minister called me in my Liberal Party office — it was about seven in the evening — to ask me if I wanted to sit in the Senate of Canada. I don’t think I have ever said “yes” to a question so quickly. I remain deeply honoured to have been asked to sit and to have sat here in the Senate for almost 19 years.

Throughout my Senate career I have sat on many committees, and I learned much about various aspects of governing in this country.

I initially sat on the Agriculture and Forestry Committee, which was supposed to be temporary. Well, when I leave this place, I will have served there for the entire time, including as deputy chair for a time. For a city boy like me, it was an eye-opener. I have a great deal of respect for all the people who are in the industry. Canadian farmers and all the people who support them are bringing Canadian products to the world. I hope we continue to sell ourselves to the world with the amazing products we produce.

I also enjoyed my time on the Transport Committee with Senator Dawson, the Special Senate Committee on Aging and the Library of Parliament Committee.

Don’t ever forget about the Library of Parliament Committee. During one term, a certain government didn’t want the Parliamentary Budget Officer to report, and he reported through the Library of Parliament Committee. They’ve changed that legislation now, and he reports. I kept trying to get him to come as a witness, and I would go to the meetings all set to the move the motion and, as soon as the chair was elected, someone would move the adjournment of the meeting and I’d never get it done.

Then I went on to become chair of the Selection Committee at one time. While I was a bit reluctant to take on that role, senators like Senator Plett put their faith in me, and I thank them for that now. I wasn’t very thankful at the time.

It is in the work of our committees where we senators shine, but we only can do that with the help and support of staff who make our work possible. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many clerks over the years, and I thank them all. I did work with some for a long time, and I would like to thank specifically Jessica Richardson, Adam Thompson, Keli Hogan, Kevin Pittman and Shaila Anwar for your support of our work and the work of the Senate over my tenure.

Committee travel is so essential to get out and meet Canadians. Take the Senate on the road again as soon as you possibly can. The people and staff are always on hand to make sure those trips are successful.

One of the greatest achievements I have ever accomplished will forever be the Senate Special Committee on the Charitable Sector. It took several years and lots of convincing, but we made it happen. The result was a report that I believe will help the sector continue to grow and flourish, because we need it. I would like to thank Senator Omidvar and Senator Martin for their support and diligence in making the report a reality, and our researchers Havi Echenberg and Nicole Sweeney, and Annie Trudel and our staff.

Every day, the lives of Canadians from coast to coast to coast are touched by the sector and its volunteers. I would like you to join me in thanking the millions of volunteers who make a difference in their communities. Thank you.

I was also especially proud to be able to have legislation passed to officially recognize National Philanthropy Day — the first of its kind in the world, by the way. We were the first country ever to do that.

According to Imagine Canada, the charitable and non-profit sectors contribute $192 billion in economic activity to Canada annually, which accounts for about 8% of our country’s GDP. The sector employs 2.4 million people, which is more than the mining, oil and gas sector, or agriculture, transportation and retail. Think about that. That’s why philanthropy is important, and that’s why we should recognize it and the volunteers who serve it.

Another way to provide service to our country is through blood donation. National Blood Donor Week is legislation that I sponsored and, with the help of all parties, we passed it to recognize and celebrate volunteer blood donations across Canada. It happens every June.

These donors give the gift of life — the ultimate gift of all — and I thank all of the donors who have and will continue to give that precious gift. My father was a blood donor all his life.

Honourable senators, throughout my years here, I have had the opportunity to celebrate many occasions. Famously, former Senator Munson and I were asked by former senator Landon Pearson to take over National Child Day, which she had started. By the way, I can hear and see all the women in the room saying, “Yes, that’s right, they had to get two men to do the job of one woman.” We got the message right from the start, Senator Munson and I. We had a good time.

Every November, we would have National Child Day. We would invite hundreds of young people into the chamber, and we would have performances on the floor of the chamber. Sometimes we didn’t necessarily tell the Speaker all of what was going to happen. To give you an idea, the famous Canadian group Barenaked Ladies performed in the Senate of Canada in front of the Speaker’s chair and did a couple of numbers. The kids went wild, of course. I’m not sure the Speaker of the day was as happy to hear them. But anyway, it was a lot of fun.

I thank Senator Landon Pearson for encouraging Senator Munson and me to do that. And it wasn’t just Senator Munson and I that did it. We had help from former Senator Cochrane and current Senators Martin and Gagné to make it happen. I thank them for their support.

Former Senator Rompkey also started me on a push to host Navy Day on the Hill. From its humble beginnings — I’ll tell you how humble it was. We said we were going to have this day to celebrate the Canadian Navy and the Coast Guard. We had no budget, but we knew we wanted to have a party. So a bunch of volunteers and staff went out to the local brewery and made beer. They also went to a local winery, and they made wine. So we have a party on the Hill to celebrate the Royal Canadian Navy and the Coast Guard with wine and beer made by volunteers, which we found some money to pay for.

The party was a huge success. It is now considered one of the premier social functions on Parliament Hill — when we can get back to having those types of functions on the Hill. I would encourage that when we can, we get back to doing it. You will be amazed at the turnout that will show up for Navy Day on the Hill. It is really absolutely terrific, and as the son of Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Bob Mercer and the father of Lieutenant Michael Mercer, who is up in the gallery, I would hope that you would support the reinstatement of Navy Day on the Hill. One of my many volunteers from my office and friend Jerrod Riley was instrumental in planning the further development of this event. I thank him and the many other volunteers who made it all happen.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the work I also did with CASA, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, supporting university students in their endeavours, and with SOCAN, supporting Canadian artists who provide so much to the culture and diversity of our country. Thank you to them.

Honourable senators, we would not be able to do our jobs if it were not for our staff and volunteers. I have had the pleasure of working with many summer students, and when we get back to normal — whatever normal is anymore — I encourage you to hire some summer students. I have had Katherine Donovan from New Brunswick, Michael Power from Ottawa, Julianna Kelly from Manotick, Nat Atherton from Ottawa, Jennifer Johns from Ottawa, Jessica Burkhardt from Ottawa and Michel Naubert from Gatineau.

I know the experience they gained working in the Senate has been invaluable to them. It certainly was to me, and I would like to thank them on the record today.

The many other staff that we have had in our Senate office over the years have been the best I have ever worked with, including some who have been with me my entire tenure. I would like to thank Lisa Thibedeau, Melanie Nicholson, Heather Forsyth and Caitlin Gropp for your support, especially as we navigated our way through the creation of the Progressive Senate Group.

I would also like to thank Archie Campbell and Dave Murphy who were also on hand to help with the annual Senator Mercer tree-trimming party. When I came back a couple of weeks ago and was looking towards the end, I said I wanted to do something special to be remembered by. I almost did it, but I pulled back because I knew I would get in a lot of trouble. I was going to have my tree-trimming party last week. Well, my tree-trimming party usually involved the traipsing of 100 or so people through the third floor of the East Block in front of my office, and we had live music, which we didn’t pay for — it was volunteers. We had volunteer bartenders. Then we had all kinds of great food, mainly supplied by my staff. I’ll talk about them in a minute.

To all the staff at the Progressive Senate Group, thank you for all you do for your senators. Keep up the good work and make sure they have a little fun, too.

The Parliamentary Protective Service, maintenance services, client services, ISD, property service, committee attendants, multimedia services — including Pedro Peres — the interpreters and all the support staff throughout the entire Senate: Thank you for your service. You were the ones who helped keep this train on the tracks. Thank you also to the Parliamentary Associations and groups and all the staff we have to help promote Canada to the world.

There are two people who were indeed with me for my entire Senate journey and whom I cannot thank enough: Sherry Petten and David Sheppard. Sherry had terrific experience and had worked in the deputy prime minister’s office when Herb Gray was deputy prime minister. She then worked for the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Sharon Carstairs. She was in Sharon’s office when I was appointed. I was lucky enough to get her out of Sharon’s office and get her to come work for me. We had a deal, though. Sherry is almost exactly 10 years younger than I am. That was the deal. She would turn 65, and I would turn 75. This was great; we would leave together.

But Sherry decided that she would leave a few years ago and is having a great retirement. I continue to think that Sherry’s job was to keep me out of jail and out of trouble. Well, I have never been in jail, so that part worked, and the trouble that I’ve gotten into has been stuff that I have done on my own. Sherry would try to talk me out of it sometimes.

David Sheppard, on the other hand, I have known for a long time. He was a Young Liberal in Nova Scotia. When I was appointed, David was working for the party in Nova Scotia. I enticed him to move from Nova Scotia to Ottawa. It has been a wonderful partnership between David, Sherry and me. I would suggest that I have been blessed with the best staff in the Senate office for years, and I have been successful because of their support.

Now, I did want to stop and tell you a story. Senator Plett was very kind in his remarks and talked about how friendly we have become. I consider Senator Plett one of my closest friends in the Senate.

The Agriculture and Forestry Committee was on a tour. We ended up in northern New Brunswick with Senator Mockler. By the way, Senator Mockler doesn’t know that he doesn’t have to get elected because anywhere you went in northern New Brunswick with Senator Mockler, he was shaking hands. I’ve been on a lot of campaigns, and Percy kept shaking hands with everybody that was there.

Anyway, so we’re in Saint-Léonard, I believe, and we stopped. Senator Plett and I were on the committee. We were relatively new. I was a little more experienced on the committee than Senator Plett, because he had just recently been appointed. So we went out to dinner as committees do. At the end of the night, we had sat down to have a glass of wine, and everybody else went to bed. There we were: Senator Plett and I sat there stuck with only each other to talk to.

So we had another glass of wine, maybe two glasses of wine, and we discovered something. When we weren’t being partisan about the Liberal Party or the Conservative Party, we actually liked each other, and we built on that relationship. It has helped sometimes in this chamber — not all the time — but Don and I have a relationship where I know I can always go talk to him and he knows he can always come and talk to me. Sometimes it has been helpful; not all the time because sometimes things get in the way. He is a stubborn guy.

However, our small but mighty caucus is making the Senate a better place, I think. The Progressive Senate Group is made up of senators with different backgrounds, shared values and at times differing opinions. We all bring something to the table, and I look forward to watching the group grow and continue to improve.

I just realized that I forgot to finish my Don Plett story.

The Transport Committee was on another trip. Don was on that, along with Dennis. We went to Estonia for part of our study, and then we went to Brussels for the second part. It happened to be in November, and Wednesday of that week was November 11, so I went to the clerk of the committee and said, “Well, we’re not working on Wednesday.” He said, “Well, why?” I said, “It’s Remembrance Day. You have to find a place for us to commemorate Remembrance Day.”

They organized it with the embassy in Brussels, and we went to Ypres where the Menin Gate is. It’s only a few miles from Passchendaele. The part about Plett was later on when we went back to Brussels. We’re out at night and suddenly these guys — Dawson and Plett — decided that they wanted to go shopping. Not far from the hotel was a shop that only sold ties. There were long ties and there were bow ties.