Senator Dagenais, you are a very special person and a good friend with a great sense of humour. I will miss you. I wish you well in your retirement.

Honourable senators, sadness is on me today as I pay tribute to Omar Zia, an educator who sadly passed away last week at the young age of 49. Omar was the principal at The Woodlands Secondary School in Mississauga.

As a member of the community of Canadians of Pakistani origin in Mississauga, I have known Omar’s parents, Rizwana and Tahir, for a long time. Omar was their eldest child, and theirs is a family that gives back to the community in any way they can. It is no wonder, then, that they raised a child such as Omar: a devoted father, an exceptional son and a selfless leader.

He appeared before the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights as a witness in our study on Islamophobia. But how can a few words capture the essence of this young man who dedicated 25 years of his life to education and social justice?

When I attended his funeral over the weekend, I was amazed to see thousands of people lining up to talk to Omar’s family. I had to wait in line for more than an hour for my turn. The overwhelming number of young people who came up to his mother to tell her how Omar mentored them and helped them was a clear testament to the kind of life he lived and the countless lives he impacted.

As I stood outside the funeral home, I heard three gentlemen talking about what a loss Omar’s passing was. They lamented that this was not just a loss for the Muslim community; it was a loss for all of us.

Standing here before you, colleagues, I cannot help but agree. Omar spent most of his life sharing his wisdom and providing guidance to a younger generation, embodying the spirit of leadership that makes him a true son of Canada.

Omar left behind his wife, Madiha, and their two daughters, Sufoora and Sakina. Sufoora is 18, and Sakina is only 16. But just as importantly, he left behind a legacy of mentorship and leadership that will continue to inspire those whose lives he touched.