SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — The Late John McCallum, P.C.

Honourable senators, I rise today with a sad heart and profound respect to pay tribute to a remarkable Canadian, the Honourable John McCallum, whose passing leaves a void in our country’s public life and in the hearts of many who knew and worked with him.

I had the pleasure of attending John’s presentations on the state of our economy and interacting with him during his time as chief economist at RBC about 30 years ago. What I remember most about John since then was his bold and effective leadership when he was the Minister of Immigration, when our former colleague the Honourable Ratna Omidvar and I had the privilege of working closely with him to enable the sponsorship and resettlement of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. This was accomplished through the privately sponsored refugee program that empowered Canadians from all walks of life, cultures and ethnicities to open their hearts, homes and wallets to sponsor and welcome Syrian refugees, adding yet another proud chapter to our Canadian history.

John played a significant role in facilitating that process, mobilizing the public service and helping fulfill the government’s promise in 2015 to rapidly resettle more than 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada in a few months’ time. John fulfilled his challenge with the utmost professionalism and, more importantly, compassion and a kind heart.

The nearly 100,000 Syrian newcomers who have made Canada home since 2015 will forever be grateful to John, to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who sponsored them and to this great country of ours.

I can say that even brief encounters with John were enough to leave a lasting impression. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was plainspoken, warm, thoughtful and always equipped with a witty sense of humour that put people at ease. He had a gift for making you feel heard and difficult conversations feel constructive, as well as a rare ability to build trust.

John’s legacy in Canadian public life — as an economist, cabinet minister and ambassador — is well-known. It is his character and not just his résumé that we remember today. John stood out as a leader who brought people together. Canada needs more of that kind of leadership.

John’s passing is a loss, but his example is a gift — one that can inspire others to step forward. Please join me in offering deepest condolences to John’s beloved wife, Nancy Lim, and their three sons, Andrew, Jamie and Duncan. May his memory continue to guide and inspire us all.