SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — The Late Wanda Robson

Honourable senators, I join you today from the unceded territory of Mi’kma’ki, the traditional land of Mi’kmaq people.

For African Heritage Month, I want to pay tribute to a national treasure, Wanda Robson, who passed away last Sunday at age 95. You may know her as the sister of Viola Desmond. I knew her as Wanda, a dear friend and mentor.

Wanda Robson was a fierce advocate for human rights and education. For most of her life, she had held on to a very shameful memory of Viola’s time in jail after being dragged out of the White-only section of the movie theatre. This changed when she arrived at university in her seventies and a professor spoke to the importance of examining critical moments in Nova Scotian history. She learned to re-examine her sister’s story as a justice issue. Wanda successfully advocated, with allies, to have Viola’s charge posthumously pardoned. In this process, she shifted a story of shame to one of pride, pride that Viola had stood up for her rights and pride for African Nova Scotian history.

In February of 2020, I invited Wanda and her husband, Joe, to Ottawa to visit the Senate. That evening, Wanda and I enjoyed a wonderful fireside chat at the Museum of History. Despite the large audience, it was like we were chatting in her living room in North Sydney. She shared memories of her sister, of African Nova Scotian history and we even discovered that we had the same childhood nickname.

Honourable colleagues, please take a moment with me to honour the life and legacy of Wanda Robson and offer deepest sympathy to her husband, children, grandchildren and all who knew and loved her.

Thank you, asante.