Senator Carignan: No prime minister lasts forever, but the government and the Liberal Party are here to stay. This proposal was brought forward by the Liberal Party, this Liberal government, and some of the government members who were present endorsed it.

Whose job will it be to trace the sources? Should it be the CRTC’s job, or do the Liberals want to create a new politburo?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, it is with profound gratitude that I rise today to pay tribute to Speaker George Furey. Your Honour, you have had a rich and varied career as a teacher, a lawyer and a parliamentarian, but as our Speaker, you guided us through two historic and great transformations: the COVID-19 pandemic and the modernization of the Senate.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed enormous strains on Canadians, on our institutions and on our economy. But under your leadership, the Senate adjusted its practices, and we made this institution work to deliver the important supports that Canadians needed during those difficult years.

But your legacy, Your Honour, what students of Westminster parliaments will remember you by, is the skill with which you helped us navigate the modernization of the Senate. I recall in your opening remarks upon taking the chair as Speaker in 2015, you highlighted the need for this chamber to reinvent itself and to fulfill our constitutional role as an independent institution of sober second thought. Your Honour, your leadership throughout the process of reform was exemplary, and its effects will reverberate long into the Senate’s future.

Colleagues, many of us have had the great opportunity to travel with the Speaker or to join him as he welcomed parliamentary and diplomatic delegations here in the Senate, so you have seen how elegantly the Speaker represented our institution and, indeed, our country. Many of us have also had the pleasure of spending time with the Speaker in more relaxed settings, enjoying a good meal, fine wine, good whisky — often both — and being regaled by stories of his political life. These are some of the memories I cherish most fondly.

We all know that a successful political career requires a supporting family, and George has been blessed with a loving wife in Karen and with four talented children. We are all grateful to them, to all of you, for sharing George with us.

Your Honour, you have presided over this chamber with dignity, with fairness, with integrity and with a steadfast respect for this institution and all who work in it for the benefit of Canadians.

Above all, you have remained true to who you are as a person: modest and without pretension, a loving husband, father and grandfather, a person anchored in your faith and devoted to your province and your country.

You have been a mentor to me and to many, many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, including a very important member of my team.

Your Honour, in my tradition, we have a word for people like you, and it’s a word that comes with the highest, highest praise. George, you are a true mensch. Thank you for your friendship and your support. I am going to miss you greatly.

The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:

RIDEAU HALL

May 10, 2023

Mr. Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 10^th day of May, 2023, at 4:59 p.m.

Yours sincerely,

Maia Welbourne

Assistant Secretary to the Governor General

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

Bills Assented to Wednesday, May 10, 2023:

An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff (Bill S-211, Chapter 9, 2023)

An Act to establish Food Day in Canada (Bill S-227, Chapter 10, 2023)

An Act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Income Tax Act (Bill C-46, Chapter 11, 2023)

Senator Gold: Once again, colleague, I’m not sure I fully understood your question, but I will repeat what I just said.

Resolutions at political conventions, whether for the Liberal Party or, I assume, the Conservative Party, are brought forward by party supporters who want to express their views.

They have no bearing on the decisions the government must make for the well-being of Canadians. Once again, the Prime Minister and the minister have stated very clearly that the Liberals have no intention of pursuing this.

Senator Housakos: If I may finish my point of order, I think we’ve earned that right on this side of the chamber. I am trying to finish the case that number one, it is in the Rules, in the law, that he is the government leader. We insist that there is at least a respect and an appreciation for the Rules and the law in this institution.

We didn’t get a written copy of the Speaker’s ruling unfortunately because we remember it was done in haste when he ruled on the government having the right to use closure. In that ruling, he made it clear that Senator Gold was the leader of the government. That was the ruling as we understood it. If anybody wants to challenge it, they can go ahead on a point of order.

Senator Plett: Again, Your Honour, I will be raising another point of order in a minute, but right now we are dealing with a point of order that Senator Carignan raised. That is what he did.

Senator Housakos: If I may finish my point of order, I think we’ve earned that right on this side of the chamber. I am trying to finish the case that number one, it is in the Rules, in the law, that he is the government leader. We insist that there is at least a respect and an appreciation for the Rules and the law in this institution.

Senator Housakos: If I may finish my point of order, I think we’ve earned that right on this side of the chamber. I am trying to finish the case that number one, it is in the Rules, in the law, that he is the government leader. We insist that there is at least a respect and an appreciation for the Rules and the law in this institution.

We didn’t get a written copy of the Speaker’s ruling unfortunately because we remember it was done in haste when he ruled on the government having the right to use closure. In that ruling, he made it clear that Senator Gold was the leader of the government. That was the ruling as we understood it. If anybody wants to challenge it, they can go ahead on a point of order.

Senator Martin: An answer I received to the question that I asked last year stated, “Unspent funds are a normal and expected part of a department’s budgetary process.”

$1.5 billion is a staggering amount of money for Veterans Affairs Canada to allow to lapse in only two years, especially when you consider that the department missed its own target to reduce the backlog to 5,000 cases by the spring of last year. Just one year ago, a report from the Auditor General found that our veterans “are waiting too long to receive compensation for injuries sustained in their service to Canada.”

Leader, do you believe that over $1.5 billion is a normal amount to go unspent at Veterans Affairs Canada while our veterans continue to wait in line for the help they need?

Senator Housakos: Government leader, both in the other chamber and in this chamber, it has been now six years that we’ve been asking about this issue of foreign interference. Semblances of this bill have been tabled back in 2019 by MP Kenny Chiu in the House of Commons. I tabled this bill now 14 months ago. That is a long time. The minister now, for a number of months, has been talking about publicly consulting. What do they need to consult on? We know what needs to be addressed, and this is a potential tool that can be put in place quickly.

Senator Housakos: Government leader, both in the other chamber and in this chamber, it has been now six years that we’ve been asking about this issue of foreign interference. Semblances of this bill have been tabled back in 2019 by MP Kenny Chiu in the House of Commons. I tabled this bill now 14 months ago. That is a long time. The minister now, for a number of months, has been talking about publicly consulting. What do they need to consult on? We know what needs to be addressed, and this is a potential tool that can be put in place quickly.

Our American allies have done it. Our allies in the U.K. have done it. Our allies in Australia have done it. Why can’t this government do simple things that the public is calling for, that the opposition is calling for and that can take a couple of months to do?

Senator Plett: — in his ruling. So today —

Senator Plett: This passport fiasco, leader, demonstrates one thing clearly: This Prime Minister doesn’t respect our history or understand the everyday lives and priorities of Canadians. How much time, energy and money was wasted changing these passports? Please, leader, don’t tell me how important our passports are. We understand that.

Senator Plett: Food banks across Canada, leader, are reporting unprecedented demand. One in five Canadians say they’re skipping meals due to the high cost of food. A quarter of Canadians say there’s no scenario in which they can afford a summer vacation unless the Prime Minister takes them on one of his.

He, of course, has no answers to the cost-of-living crisis. At a town hall in April, he advised taking on more credit card debt to pay for school or home renovations.

Senator Martin: Out of touch.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I also rise to pay tribute to our colleague and friend the Honourable George Furey as we begin saying goodbye to Canada’s forty-fifth Speaker of the Senate.

Your Honour, as I reflected on your tenure in the Senate, I remembered many of your interventions when we both served on the Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. That’s when our friendship began. We were faced with difficult times then — times that brought on increased transparency. Yet, things back then were simple. You were a good Liberal — if there is such a thing — and I a proud Conservative. But at the end of the day, we both knew that partisanship had a respectful role in this institution. Those were the good old days.

A lot has changed since then, as Prime Minister Trudeau sent the Senate into uncharted waters — waters that you as Speaker have had to navigate. You stepped up to the helm as a storm was brewing on the horizon. There were turbulent times, which called for you to make difficult rulings. Some we agreed with, and others we did not. But my respect and admiration for your efforts to be a fair and impartial Speaker prevailed. They never wavered.

Your Honour, thank you for the role you have played in ensuring this chamber runs smoothly. You have demonstrated incredible patience. I will always cherish your professionalism and allegiance to this institution.

Over the years, you took on the role of a devoted ambassador for Canada in your travels abroad. When meeting with various leaders of other countries, you always allowed and welcomed everyone present to take part in the discussions and meetings. You recognized the role of the opposition and you let everyone express their views.

Your Honour, I wish to close with this genuine thought: It has been a pleasure to know you over the years. I recognize that this sentence is sometimes used lightly, but the meaning is sincere. Both Betty and I hold great memories of our times spent with you and Karen. We have truly enjoyed your friendship.

As of later today, Your Honour, I will once again be calling you George. Happy retirement! I wish you and Karen the very best, and may you catch up on spending time with your loved ones, especially your grandchildren. I will take you up on that game of golf that you have promised me.

Thank you, Your Honour.

[Translation]

Hon. Raymonde Saint-Germain: Your Honour, I know how incredibly humble you are and that I am prolonging your agony by rising to pay tribute to you.

In all seriousness though, you deserve all of the tributes that are being paid to you today because you have done such an excellent job as our Speaker, a role that is so very important to our institution.

I pay tribute to you today on behalf of the Independent Senators Group, only three members of which served with you before 2015. For the other 36 members of the group, you have been the only Speaker they have known in this chamber during a particularly complex and demanding time in the history of our institution.

Your Honour, your commitment to public service is an example to us all, and your leadership has been essential in guiding the Senate in its mission to represent all Canadians and to modernize the institution.

[English]

In your opening address to this chamber as Speaker, you started by stating:

Colleagues, our chamber is at a crossroads. We have an opportunity to work together to recreate how this chamber of the Parliament of Canada does its work for Canadians. Truly, we are entering uncharted waters in which we are invited by the government to reinvent ourselves in a less partisan way and fulfill our role, as envisioned under the Constitution, as an independent chamber of sober second thought.

Your Honour, you sailed us through these waters seamlessly, and your legacy as Speaker of the Canadian Senate will live on in our country’s history. You have worked tirelessly to modernize the institution and strengthen the confidence of Canadians in the Senate.

Your previous professional training has also served us well as members of this democratic institution. On the one hand, your legacy as a teacher has made you a great guide in helping new senators better understand the Senate as well as its rules and protocol. From time to time, you have even had to do the same for veteran senators. On the other hand, your legal training has made you a Speaker with a great sense of justice and fairness, and this sense has manifested itself in all your decisions and interventions within this chamber. You have handled this with great courage — the courage to take tough decisions, sometimes not to everyone’s liking.

Outside this chamber, you have acted as an eminent ambassador for our institution. Both within Canada and abroad, along with your wife, Karen, you have represented the Senate with great elegance and finesse, and I have had the pleasure of witnessing that on several occasions.

On a more personal note, I take this opportunity to wish Karen and you a happy retirement. For you and for your family, it will be a chance to finally enjoy each other’s presence more.

Your Honour, you leave behind an impressive legacy, and your contribution to Canadian democracy and public service will never be forgotten.

Thank you and congratulations on your outstanding public service!

Hon. Scott Tannas: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to our dear Speaker, the Honourable George Furey.

Your Honour, your career in the Senate has spanned over 23 years, which, if you want to be exact, means you’ve been a senator for 8,675 days — in case you’re counting. Throughout this time, you’ve been a steady hand for this institution. Your time as the forty-fifth Speaker of the Senate and your chairmanship of the Rules Committee, the Internal Economy Committee and the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee were each simply exemplary.

This time also included some difficult moments. There is a naval expression that says, “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” Your Honour, during your tenure, you were faced with many difficult obstacles — the establishment of the new security arrangements for Parliament Hill, the move to a new building and a global pandemic, just to name a few. Throughout, you were the captain of our ship and you showed your skill as a sailor in very turbulent seas.

You are a well-respected leader not just for the Senate but for Canada. As you travelled the world, you met with speakers, kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers. You always represented us with dignity and poise. That’s pretty good for a boy from Newfoundland and Labrador who grew up with big dreams.

With all that you have accomplished and the way you did it, as a teacher, lawyer, senator, husband, father and grandfather, your pursuit and subsequent attainment of your dreams are a testament to your strength of character. Your personal story is an inspiration to boys and girls that your journey to greatness is possible regardless of your beginnings. That is a powerful mark to leave.

George, my colleagues from the Canadian Senators Group and I sincerely and with much affection wish you a happy retirement. Please enjoy your time at home with Karen, your kids and grandchildren. I’m sure they will be happy to see you full-time from now on.

You are a model of humility, wisdom and kindness. You are irreplaceable. It has been our honour to serve with you.

The Hon. the Speaker: I cannot begin without thanking Senator Gold, Senator Plett, Senator Saint-Germain, Senator Tannas and Senator Cordy for the very warm, kind and, I must say, humbling remarks. I want to thank you very much for that. It’s very touching and very heartfelt. Thank you.

Honourable senators, for 23 and a half years it has been an honour and a privilege to serve in the Senate of Canada.

As many before me and, no doubt, many after, I will always cherish fond memories of the Senate and of its members, past and present, with whom I have had the distinct privilege to serve.

[Translation]

I feel very humbled to have had the honour and unique opportunity to contribute to the work of the Senate as Speaker for the past seven and a half years.

I want to sincerely thank you, honourable senators, for your generous support, encouragement and advice throughout my tenure as Speaker.

[English]

Honourable senators, let us always remember that our calling to this chamber is an honourable one. Let us always remember in our debates that disagreements must be debated, even vigorously at times, but never — never — personally. Disparaging individuals adds nothing to debate, but indeed denigrates the Senate as a whole.

Colleagues, we live in a world filled with outpourings of misinformation and disinformation. We see the very principles of democracy under attack all around the world.

In 1947, Winston Churchill said:

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time . . .

Churchill was not trying to be funny; he was reminding us that while the very freedoms of democracy are its strengths, so too are they its vulnerabilities. For with all its strengths and all its fragilities, democracy requires honesty, honour and decency on both sides of the aisle. Your deliberations must always reflect this as well as your commitment to the principles of democracy, accountability and transparency.

We are very fortunate in our parliamentary system of government to have an appointed Senate as a complementary chamber to the House of Commons. And as we have seen, the new method of appointments since 2015 builds on the advantage of an appointed house by diversifying and strengthening the overall membership.

Members of the other place carry the responsibility of being the elected representatives of the people to whom the government of the day is both responsible and accountable. We in the Senate are less constrained than they are in applying our knowledge and experience to the tasks of making good laws and scrutinizing government policy because we do not face that requirement of seeking election.

Instead of being so often preoccupied with the day-to-day that is the necessary duty of the House of Commons, we in the Senate have an opportunity to focus on the long-term perspective. We can offer advice and propose policies that enrich public discourse across the entire spectrum of public policy. The studies we undertake can assist the House of Commons, the government and the general public in appreciating the nature of the challenges we face and the opportunities they present in today’s Canada and, indeed, in today’s world.

In playing this vital role, the Senate can never pretend to have a determinative voice, but as a complementary chamber we can certainly ensure a better-informed, more balanced public debate.

At the outset of my career in the Senate, two outstanding examples of this work were carried out by two special studies in committee: The first concerned cannabis in a special committee chaired by former Conservative senator Pierre Claude Nolin, and the second concerned the federal role in health care, resulting from the work of the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee chaired by former Liberal senator Michael Kirby.

These studies make real a characteristic that is unique to the Senate and that exists only because we are an appointed body. These studies show clearly the great value of bipartisan parliamentary work. Senators are in the distinct position of being able to resist public pressure in order to do public good. Never has this been more important than in today’s world.

The membership in the Senate now is as good, as talented and as capable as it has ever been. The challenges that we need to confront remain still before us. Some, like climate change, are existential in importance. Others, like the poisonous impact of dark social media, threaten to undermine confidence in the institutions of government.

The Senate offers so much potential to do so much good. Do not waste this potential through partisan bickering. Do your very best to make the Senate a truly integral and complementary part of our whole parliamentary system.

On this matter, the Senate must always make its views known, but must then show deference to the elected body. There are, of course, rare occasions when the Senate may hold out in the name of grave public interest. Remember, though, that just because some may feel an issue is of grave national interest does not make it so. The people of Canada will tell you when there is an issue of grave national concern.

I wish you well in your deliberations. Argue and debate loud and clear, but please never fall victim to ad hominem or personal attacks, no matter how subtle they are. And never assign motives to the decisions and debates of others. You belittle yourself with such attacks, and the Senate in general.

I want to take a moment to thank the staff of the Senate, whose dedication and hard work have made my job as Speaker, and all our jobs as senators, if not much easier, certainly possible. Their tireless efforts to support the work of the Senate, often behind the scenes, have been instrumental in ensuring that this institution functions smoothly and effectively.

I wish to highlight the work of our senior executive: our Clerk, Gérald Lafrenière; our Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Pascale Legault; and our Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, Philippe Hallée, who are supported by our directors and their staff.

As well, I want to extend a special thank you to our present and former chiefs of the Chamber Operations and Procedure Office, or COPO, who sit next to me during all of our sittings: Till Heyde, Cathy Piccinin, Heather Lank and all other COPO staff members, without whom we would, no doubt, descend into chaos here in the chamber.

And, of course, thank you to our pages, who always manage to do their work with great zeal and great humour. We owe all who work here a great deal of appreciation for their commitment to public service and to our great institution. They work long hours often and sacrifice personal and family time to serve the Senate.

I also wish to thank my long-standing senior staff and all those who worked with them over the years, in particular, Suzanne Charron, Stuart Barnable, Loren Cicchini and Vince MacNeil. I want to express a special thank you to Frederick Grittner, who has served five Speakers over the years with dedication and professionalism and who will be retiring as well.

I will speak more about this later today but, for the record, I want to recognize and thank my wonderful wife, Karen, who is in the gallery today, and our children — Andrew and his wife, Allison; Meghan and her husband, Ben; Rebecca and her husband, Mike; David and his friend, Kerri — as well as our wonderful grandchildren, Maggie, Sarah, Adam, Luke, Rachael, Mark and Matthew, whose love and support have made my work possible. As well, they are accompanied by other family members and friends.

On behalf of all senators, I want to welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

The Hon. the Speaker: I cannot begin without thanking Senator Gold, Senator Plett, Senator Saint-Germain, Senator Tannas and Senator Cordy for the very warm, kind and, I must say, humbling remarks. I want to thank you very much for that. It’s very touching and very heartfelt. Thank you.

Honourable senators, for 23 and a half years it has been an honour and a privilege to serve in the Senate of Canada.

As many before me and, no doubt, many after, I will always cherish fond memories of the Senate and of its members, past and present, with whom I have had the distinct privilege to serve.

[Translation]

I feel very humbled to have had the honour and unique opportunity to contribute to the work of the Senate as Speaker for the past seven and a half years.

I want to sincerely thank you, honourable senators, for your generous support, encouragement and advice throughout my tenure as Speaker.

[English]

Honourable senators, let us always remember that our calling to this chamber is an honourable one. Let us always remember in our debates that disagreements must be debated, even vigorously at times, but never — never — personally. Disparaging individuals adds nothing to debate, but indeed denigrates the Senate as a whole.

Colleagues, we live in a world filled with outpourings of misinformation and disinformation. We see the very principles of democracy under attack all around the world.

In 1947, Winston Churchill said:

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time . . .

Churchill was not trying to be funny; he was reminding us that while the very freedoms of democracy are its strengths, so too are they its vulnerabilities. For with all its strengths and all its fragilities, democracy requires honesty, honour and decency on both sides of the aisle. Your deliberations must always reflect this as well as your commitment to the principles of democracy, accountability and transparency.

We are very fortunate in our parliamentary system of government to have an appointed Senate as a complementary chamber to the House of Commons. And as we have seen, the new method of appointments since 2015 builds on the advantage of an appointed house by diversifying and strengthening the overall membership.

Members of the other place carry the responsibility of being the elected representatives of the people to whom the government of the day is both responsible and accountable. We in the Senate are less constrained than they are in applying our knowledge and experience to the tasks of making good laws and scrutinizing government policy because we do not face that requirement of seeking election.

Instead of being so often preoccupied with the day-to-day that is the necessary duty of the House of Commons, we in the Senate have an opportunity to focus on the long-term perspective. We can offer advice and propose policies that enrich public discourse across the entire spectrum of public policy. The studies we undertake can assist the House of Commons, the government and the general public in appreciating the nature of the challenges we face and the opportunities they present in today’s Canada and, indeed, in today’s world.

In playing this vital role, the Senate can never pretend to have a determinative voice, but as a complementary chamber we can certainly ensure a better-informed, more balanced public debate.

At the outset of my career in the Senate, two outstanding examples of this work were carried out by two special studies in committee: The first concerned cannabis in a special committee chaired by former Conservative senator Pierre Claude Nolin, and the second concerned the federal role in health care, resulting from the work of the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee chaired by former Liberal senator Michael Kirby.

These studies make real a characteristic that is unique to the Senate and that exists only because we are an appointed body. These studies show clearly the great value of bipartisan parliamentary work. Senators are in the distinct position of being able to resist public pressure in order to do public good. Never has this been more important than in today’s world.

The membership in the Senate now is as good, as talented and as capable as it has ever been. The challenges that we need to confront remain still before us. Some, like climate change, are existential in importance. Others, like the poisonous impact of dark social media, threaten to undermine confidence in the institutions of government.

The Senate offers so much potential to do so much good. Do not waste this potential through partisan bickering. Do your very best to make the Senate a truly integral and complementary part of our whole parliamentary system.

On this matter, the Senate must always make its views known, but must then show deference to the elected body. There are, of course, rare occasions when the Senate may hold out in the name of grave public interest. Remember, though, that just because some may feel an issue is of grave national interest does not make it so. The people of Canada will tell you when there is an issue of grave national concern.

I wish you well in your deliberations. Argue and debate loud and clear, but please never fall victim to ad hominem or personal attacks, no matter how subtle they are. And never assign motives to the decisions and debates of others. You belittle yourself with such attacks, and the Senate in general.

I want to take a moment to thank the staff of the Senate, whose dedication and hard work have made my job as Speaker, and all our jobs as senators, if not much easier, certainly possible. Their tireless efforts to support the work of the Senate, often behind the scenes, have been instrumental in ensuring that this institution functions smoothly and effectively.

I wish to highlight the work of our senior executive: our Clerk, Gérald Lafrenière; our Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Pascale Legault; and our Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, Philippe Hallée, who are supported by our directors and their staff.

As well, I want to extend a special thank you to our present and former chiefs of the Chamber Operations and Procedure Office, or COPO, who sit next to me during all of our sittings: Till Heyde, Cathy Piccinin, Heather Lank and all other COPO staff members, without whom we would, no doubt, descend into chaos here in the chamber.

And, of course, thank you to our pages, who always manage to do their work with great zeal and great humour. We owe all who work here a great deal of appreciation for their commitment to public service and to our great institution. They work long hours often and sacrifice personal and family time to serve the Senate.

I also wish to thank my long-standing senior staff and all those who worked with them over the years, in particular, Suzanne Charron, Stuart Barnable, Loren Cicchini and Vince MacNeil. I want to express a special thank you to Frederick Grittner, who has served five Speakers over the years with dedication and professionalism and who will be retiring as well.

I will speak more about this later today but, for the record, I want to recognize and thank my wonderful wife, Karen, who is in the gallery today, and our children — Andrew and his wife, Allison; Meghan and her husband, Ben; Rebecca and her husband, Mike; David and his friend, Kerri — as well as our wonderful grandchildren, Maggie, Sarah, Adam, Luke, Rachael, Mark and Matthew, whose love and support have made my work possible. As well, they are accompanied by other family members and friends.

On behalf of all senators, I want to welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Hon. Jane Cordy: Senator Furey, I can’t believe that the time for your retirement is here. Your distinguished career serving the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in Ottawa is coming to a close after almost 24 years.

It was a pleasure to serve alongside you in caucus for 15 of those years, until your appointment in 2015 as the first Speaker of the Senate from Newfoundland and Labrador. I will add that during the time that Geoff Regan served as Speaker of the House of Commons, it was the first time that the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Speaker of the Senate were both graduates of the law school at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

George, I have many fond memories of working with you here in Ottawa. One fun thing that stands out was the Senate choir. You and I, along with Senator Ringuette and former senators Bill Rompkey, Joan Fraser, Lorna Milne and Gerald Comeau — to name a few — would sing together in the Senate choir, not as Liberals or Conservatives, but in the spirit of friendship.

The late senator Tommy Banks would lead and accompany us on piano, and if we sang out of tune, Tommy would simply begin to play a little louder.

As others have said, George, you have kept a steady hand as we have navigated these uncharted waters of change in the Senate over the last eight years — from the ever-evolving dynamics of this place, to the move from Centre Block to our temporary new home here in the Senate of Canada Building and the upheaval of the pandemic with a shift to hybrid sittings.

I think the highest praise a Speaker can receive is to be regarded as being fair. Your Honour, you have ruled fairly but firmly with words of encouragement for us to find solutions.

George, I know how important family is to you. You will now be able to spend more time with Karen, your children and, particularly, your grandchildren.

I wouldn’t normally quote a family member. However, since Andrew is a politician, I will make an exception here. He said:

Dad was a great role model, and not only was he a great role model, he’s one of my best friends.

He went on to say:

. . . my top priority is always going to be my family. That’s something that’s been instilled in me since I was a kid.

George, there is no better tribute to a parent or a Speaker than this.

You and Karen have always recognized that while politics is exciting and invigorating, family is what keeps us grounded.

Speaker, I phoned former senator Joan Cook — that might make you a little bit nervous — and I asked if she would like to share a funny story about you. She said, “George isn’t funny. He’s serious. It’s all about family.”

She went on to say that you had five grandchildren in two years. Now, Joan always knitted things for new babies, but I understand she phoned you, George, and said:

So, five grandchildren in two years — for God’s sake George, tell your kids to slow down. I can’t keep up with the knitting.

George, I am honoured to have had the privilege to serve with you in the Senate for the last 23 years. You have served Canadians and the Senate of Canada with great distinction and you have earned a deep respect from your colleagues. To quote this week’s The Hill Times, your retirement is “. . . a loss for the Senate and the Canadian public.” The descriptions of your decency, commitment and impact on this place cannot be overstated.

The Progressive Senate Group and I wish you and Karen the very best.

Thank you for all you have done.