Honourable senators, it is my pleasure to stand today to acknowledge Black History Month. This year’s national theme is “Going Forward, guided by the past,” represented by the image of the Sankofa. Sankofa represents a philosophy that I have shared with many students in moments of mentorship as a valuable teaching. Sankofa is an African bird moving in one direction, glancing backwards; it represents the need to move forward without forgetting our past, our ancestors and our histories. Our past informs the present.

Honourable colleagues, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Wanda Robson, the sister of Viola Desmond, over the last few years, and I am looking forward to our discussion tonight at the Canadian Museum of History. We often hear the story of Viola, the young African-Nova Scotian woman who dared to sit in the whites-only section of the movie theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. A lesser-known story is that of Wanda Robson, who, after completing her degree at Cape Breton University at the age of 76, advocated for her sister’s charges to be dropped posthumously. When we teach our children about Viola’s tenacity and strength, we should also recognize Wanda Robson for her work in fighting for racial justice through advocacy and education.

The Sankofa philosophy is embodied in reparations. As we identify past harms to African Canadians caused by slavery and segregation, we connect those harms to the justice, remuneration, programming and funding owed to Canadians of African descent. This is necessary to build a strong future. Wanda Robson enacted Sankofa by advocating for the posthumous pardon of her sister. She has set an example for us by standing up against the forced segregation, false arrest and conviction of Viola Desmond.

Honourable senators, Wanda Robson’s work is a form of reparations, and an incredible example of how to move forward from past harms. Join me in thanking Wanda Robson for all that she has given to us.