Honourable senators, I rise today to add another grieving voice and heart to those of our fellow Canadians and global neighbours who are mourning the loss of their loved ones in the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302. The world lost 157 valued people. Canada lost 18. Such devastating and shocking losses of our fellow human beings is something unfathomable and unfortunately very hard to recover from.

This shock really hit home for me. I started my career in Africa nearly 40 years ago. Ethiopia, the country of departure of flight ET302 and Kenya, the intended destination of the flight are magnificent places, rich in talented people, diverse cultures, histories and beautiful natural environments. Several people on the flight were working for the United Nations or other humanitarian agencies. Like my 25-year-old self those many years ago, for some it was their first time travelling to the region of their dreams. For others, they had dedicated their long careers to the betterment of the continent.

Fortunately, I did not lose any close family members or friends. However, one dear friend, Lila Pavey of Halifax and formerly of Botswana, lost two people — her beloved uncle Peter deMarsh of New Brunswick, chair of the International Family Forestry Alliance and the Canadian Federation of Woodlot Owners, as well as the main support to Lila’s grandmother. Lila also lost her dear friend Stephanie Lacroix, who worked with her in Botswana. Steph was a Canada Service Corps project officer with the United Nations Association in Canada. Stephanie was accompanying three other bright young Canadians to the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

We all extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends, neighbours and colleagues of the 157 people killed in the air crash. We give our thanks to the Ethiopian people who are working hard every minute to assist the family members of the victims. And we send a note a very sincere appreciation to our colleagues at the Embassy of Canada in Addis Ababa for the sympathetic and important assistance to the loved ones of the Canadian victims of the crash.

And to the bright lights of our country lost, Angela Rehhorn, Danielle Moore, Dr. Pius Adebola Adesanmi, Amina Ibrahim Odowa, Sofia Abdulkadir, Kosha Vaidya, Prerit Dixit, Anushka Dixit, Ashka Dixit, Derek Lwungi, Michah Messent, Peter deMarsh, Jessica Hyba, Darcy Belanger, Stephanie Lacroix, Dawn Tanner, Ameen Ismael Noormohamed, Rubi Pauls and family, may you rest in peace. You will not be forgotten.