Honourable senators, Renée Dupuis arrived in this chamber in November 2016.

Her career up to that point earned her that appointment. She had a brilliant career as a lawyer and served as a member and chair of commissions of inquiry and as the vice-president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec. She also worked as a professor. She is an author and has received many prestigious awards, medals and decorations.

Seven years later, I have the privilege of telling you about Renée Dupuis’s excellent work as a senator. While in office, she understood perfectly the role and powers of the Senate, and she fulfilled her mandate with an unwavering commitment to the values and principles that guided her throughout her career: the respect and promotion of rights in their broadest sense.

She has made a significant contribution by providing effective sober second thought to the legislation before us, both government bills and private members’ bills from both chambers.

Studious and competent, Senator Dupuis never sought to be in the limelight or always take up all the time. She spoke when and if she was well prepared and when and if she thought that she had something valuable to add. That is no doubt why her speeches garnered so much attention and helped to advance the debates.

Her independence of thought and remarkable ability to listen are inspiring. In her most recent book, Ce chemin sous mes pas, she recounts some of the highlights of her life. In her book, Renée also explains why listening is so important to her. She says, and I quote:

The work of a lawyer is focused on making arguments, which can lead one to overestimate the value of one’s own arguments . . . . We often forget that listening to others, to The Other, the opposing party, is just as important, if only to properly assess what they are saying so as to better measure the scope of their arguments. Otherwise, we run the risk of concentrating solely on what appears to be the right arguments and neglecting the opposing ones, thus underestimating their strength.

When the Honourable Renée Dupuis leaves this chamber for the last time in a few days, she can do so with pride and a sense of accomplishment.

Renée, as a legislator, you can be proud of your persistence in ensuring that the laws you passed led to fairness, equality and justice, which were recurring themes throughout your entire career.

On a more personal note, I had the privilege of chatting with Renée on numerous trips back and forth from Quebec City to Ottawa. No conversation with her is banal. Her cultural acumen, subtle sense of humour and insatiable intellectual curiosity always made those long journeys seem shorter.

Above and beyond her stellar career, Renée Dupuis is a family woman, proud, attentive and inspiring for her two daughters and four grandchildren. I salute her partner, Pierre, and their siblings; she has written down life lessons for them already. Now that she will regain control of her daily schedule, perhaps she will find the time to publish — for all of us, and for those who will follow us — the path she has taken in the Senate.

Renée, we will miss you. On behalf of all your colleagues in the Independent Senators Group, I express our esteem, gratitude and friendship.

Honourable senators, today I rise to pay tribute to our colleague, Senator Renée Dupuis. Her contributions to this chamber will be sorely missed.

As a lawyer specializing in human rights, law in regard to Indigenous peoples and administrative law, Senator Dupuis has spent her entire career fighting for social justice. She is known for her commitment to promoting Indigenous self-government in Canada, and for her advocacy on behalf of women’s rights.

Before her appointment to the Senate in 2016, she served as chief commissioner of the Indian Claims Commission, or ICC, and lectured at the École nationale d’administration publique, where she designed training programs on human rights and the development of democratic institutions. She served as vice‑president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec from 2011 to 2016 and was named an honorary witness of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. She has also been a strong advocate of feminist issues and part of the group that created the Centre de Santé des femmes du Québec.

Senator Dupuis always spoke in a calm, sensible and focused way to the issues brought before the Senate. Her arguments were always thoroughly documented and fact-based, delivered in a calm but firm tone, worthy of the lawyer emeritus we know her to be. Her colleagues knew that, when she spoke, we’d better listen. The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs in particular benefited from her experience in legal matters and her dedication to justice. She will be missed both here and in committee.

On behalf of my colleagues in the office of the Government Representative in the Senate, I wish you every success in the next chapter of your life. I’m sure your husband, Pierre, and your daughters, Catherine and Clara, will be delighted to have more time with you. Nevertheless, I’m convinced you’ll never stop speaking on behalf of the people whose rights you’ve stood up for your whole life.

Thank you, Renée.

Honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of the opposition Conservative caucus to pay tribute to our colleague, Senator Renée Dupuis, who will be retiring from the Senate of Canada on January 17, 2024.

Senator Dupuis dedicated much of her life to serving and helping others. She was a lawyer, the vice-president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, a member of the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel and a commissioner with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, to name a few. She has volunteered with many organizations and has been a champion for women’s rights and support groups.

Her passion and tireless work in the community transpired into her work on Parliament Hill. In 2016, Senator Dupuis was appointed to the Senate to represent Quebec — the Laurentides. During her time as a senator, she served on the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Audit and Oversight Committee. Her experience as a lawyer, her attention to detail and her ability to remain calm and poised was often observed in committee meetings and in the chamber. Senator Dupuis advocated in the chamber for her constituents, and often entered debate on important legislation to add thoughtful interventions.

I would like to commend you, Senator Dupuis, on your years of service to the people of Quebec and to all Canadians. I also wish to acknowledge your family for their unwavering support, which allowed you to serve in this esteemed chamber as a senator. As you take your official retirement in January, know that your contributions to the Senate of Canada will not be forgotten and that you will always remain a part of our extended Senate family.

Honourable senators, I know you’ll join me in congratulating the Honourable Renée Dupuis on her retirement and wishing her every success as she embarks on the next chapter of her life.

Thank you.

Honourable senators, we mark the departure of one of our colleagues — a great colleague — Senator Renée Dupuis.

Senator Dupuis arrived in this place in November 2016. She was appointed for her leadership and notable achievements in the field of law and Indigenous rights. According to Senator Harder — the Government Representative in the Senate at the time — her accomplishments were “. . . repeatedly recognized by her peers and by Canadian society as a whole. . . .”

I had the privilege of working with Senator Dupuis on the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and, occasionally, on the Indigenous Peoples Committee. As one of her peers here in the Senate, I can attest to the strength of her commitment to the thorough examination of issues and her knowledge of these subjects. When she spoke, people actively listened.

Senator Dupuis, during her legal career, was fascinated by the need for innovation in the field of law and the need for reforms. The Barreau du Québec described her qualities as tirelessly committed, engaged and working with integrity. These qualities were also on display at all times during her time here.

Senator Dupuis’s journey to the Senate started very early in her life. At a young age, she was intrigued by the notions of justice. We can all see a young Senator Dupuis in elementary school, standing up for those who were marginalized. She was a social-legal activist in the schoolyard and on the playground, according to some reports.

This zest for social justice was truly evident throughout her career as a lawyer, as a commissioner with the Canadian Human Rights Commission and as a senator. This brought her to intervene in many cases and causes ranging from constitutional rights for Indigenous peoples and reconciliation to women’s health to the right to die with dignity. Just in this current Parliament, Senator Dupuis intervened over 150 times in the Senate Chamber.

Prior to being summoned to the Senate, Senator Dupuis was a prolific and award-winning author on Indigenous issues. If any of you are interested, six of her books are still available and are very reasonably priced, especially in paperback edition. With your retirement, Renée, we anticipate seeing more publications soon.

Senator Dupuis, on behalf of the Canadian Senators Group, my colleagues and I wish you a well-deserved retirement from this place, and we sincerely thank you for your substantial contribution to our work in the service of Canadians here in the Senate of Canada.

Honourable senators, today, I am pleased to pay tribute to our colleague in the language of Gabrielle Roy and Gaston Miron, who she knew well.

When she agreed to participate in the modernization of the Senate in November 2016, it was just one more challenge for Renée Dupuis, lawyer emeritus, who dedicated 40 years of her life to the advancement of social justice.

Since the beginning of her career, she has defended the most vulnerable members of society, such as roomers in Quebec, when their rights were being violated. In the late 1970s, she participated in the creation of the Centre de Santé des femmes de Québec, which supports women’s freedom of choice during pregnancy. She was then hired by the Atikamekw of Quebec, who were joined a few years later by the Innu.

As she explained in her most recent book, Ce chemin sous mes pas, which I happily read cover-to-cover, she doesn’t speak for them. Instead, she strongly supports them in their claim for self-government.

In 1989, she became a member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, where she participated in the fight against workplace discrimination and harassment, particularly the sexual harassment of women. In 2001, she was appointed to what was then called the Indian Specific Claims Commission, and later became the last chair of that commission in 2003.

So it’s not surprising that, in 2011, she became the vice‑president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec.

What’s fascinating about her is that she realized very early on that misunderstanding is often a source of dispute, prejudice and stereotypes that lead to discrimination, both individual and systemic. That’s why she has always been so eager to share her knowledge, whether teaching at the École nationale d’administration publique, giving conferences around the world, presenting in elementary and secondary schools, giving media interviews or publishing books and many articles, as cited in previous speeches. In 1979, she even created and hosted a radio series introducing Innu women to Radio-Canada listeners.

I was finally able to work alongside this wonderful person in the Senate, where she was both a seatmate and an influential member of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. I was delighted to work with this independent-minded colleague, who listens attentively and always takes notes before offering pertinent, sometimes even incisive comments that reflect her great legal talents and vast life experiences, both professional and personal.

My dear friend Renée, all the best to you and Pierre when you’re back home in Île d’Orléans. You will be missed.

Honourable senators, one of the hardest parts of this job is saying goodbye to retiring colleagues. Senator Dupuis, I only had two years with you, and I would have loved to have had more. You are one of those colleagues who has left a lasting impression. You made me better, taught me much and, whether you realized it or not, nudged me through difficult times.

As some of you know, I had a bit of trouble finding my place in the Senate, especially on the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. Senator Dupuis, you noticed my discomfort and wasted no time in reassuring me. You reminded me that I was ready to sit in this place, and that I had contributions and new perspectives to offer to this committee.

I watched Senator Dupuis closely in committee, knowing she was a leader and a lawyer of the highest calibre with long years of experience in human rights and in the fight against discrimination. I also knew that she had always supported a feminist perspective. When Senator Dupuis asks a question or speaks, we listen and learn. If the question is meant for you, you better watch out and be prepared. She demands clarity and adequate references to the acts or procedural rules in question. She is rigorous and diligent, and has always been an independent thinker who reaches her own conclusions and is guided by her own experiences and values.

Senator Dupuis takes her work ethic and her responsibilities very seriously. She embodies everything we look for in a role model: intelligence, intensity, confidence and courage. Her approach is inclusive and I’ve experienced that myself. Be careful, however, because her seriousness may surprise you. Senator Dupuis has a keen sense of humour, a sense of humour that makes you think. It is so spontaneous and so smart that it can be easily missed.

Her determination, her professionalism and her convictions reveal another remarkable side of Senator Dupuis. She’s fuelled by her commitment to create a better world. During a recent speech, she said:

Well, there are women here now, and they are not going anywhere. They are going to stay right here and keep fighting, including for their granddaughters, like my own.

When you delivered your speech, Senator Dupuis, your grace, your cool head and the love you exude brought tears to my eyes. Your voice, your presence, your impact and your work will live on in your grandchildren, in us, in me and in all those you defend, support, encourage and help.

Thank you to you and your family, Renée.

Honourable senators, I rise today to show my gratitude and pay tribute to the Honourable Senator Dupuis. For the past seven years, Senator Dupuis has faithfully served the Senate. Specifically, she has done this through her legal knowledge, Indigenous representation and her work with me in establishing the Standing Senate Committee on Audit and Oversight, in particular on many weekends and evenings during phone calls when she shared her knowledge and wisdom.

I have seen this in her principled stances, hard work and dedication to Indigenous issues, including through her published works and one in particular, entitled Justice for Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples. As a legal scholar, Senator Dupuis showed her steady hand in law and process, which she brought to the Senate and the Audit and Oversight Committee, especially in its early days. I am thankful for your service to the Senate and to Canada, and I wish the best for you, Pierre and your family in the years ahead.

Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to Senator Renée Dupuis. In the Senate, on our political stage, she has followed an important principle of theatre: to leave us wanting more.

One of Senator Dupuis’s many great moments came a few weeks ago. On debate, she reminded our chamber that at one time, there were no women in the Senate. She said:

Well, there are women here now, and they are not going anywhere. They are going to stay right here and keep fighting, including for their granddaughters, like my own.

Honourable colleagues, in our chamber, Senator Dupuis’s words are a fitting addition to the legacy of the Famous Five monument commemorated outside our front door. Let us take her words to heart.

Today, let us also pay tribute to her incredible legislative work. Many of you know how thoughtful, precise and diligent Senator Dupuis is in her duties, especially at committee. We need to pay extra close attention when she raises her hand to speak or ask a question, or we are bound to miss an important detail or original point.

Senator Dupuis is also humble. It may be underappreciated that Senator Dupuis was a champion for reconciliation long before Canadians heard the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action. Prior to arriving in this chamber, for decades, Senator Dupuis was a legal adviser and consultant for First Nations organizations in negotiating tripartite comprehensive claims and constitutional matters. From 2003 to 2009, she was the chief commissioner of the Indian Claims Commission, where she heard and endeavoured to resolve numerous cases. More recently, she was an Honorary Witness of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission national event in Montreal in April 2013, retaining and sharing that important knowledge.

In addition, Senator Dupuis authored several books, including Justice for Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples, which won the 2001 Governor General’s Literary Award for French-language non‑fiction. In 2005, she received the Order of Canada.

Senator Dupuis has served as the Deputy Chair of the Audit and Oversight Committee, and her keen eye and succinct commentary will be greatly missed once she retires. As chair, I am honoured to have served together on a body that is an important achievement of Senate reform.

Senator Dupuis, you are a firecracker, and I quite like your approach and your dry-wit humour. I always look around the room to see who is smiling. That’s an indication of the other smart ones. Look who all wants to be smart here.

Senator Dupuis, you have been a very good adviser and friend. You have always been approachable and accessible. For these things, I am grateful — very grateful — to you. Thank you. Honourable colleagues, please wish Senator Dupuis all the best in her retirement.

Colleagues, dear friend, how can we celebrate our distinguished colleague, the Honourable Renée Dupuis, an unassuming woman with such an impressive track record?

Dear Senator Dupuis, what an honour and a privilege it has been to work alongside you for the past seven years. Senator Dupuis and I were sworn in on the same day, November 16, 2016. We met and had an opportunity to talk a bit before we even walked through these doors.

We were complete strangers to one another at the time. I didn’t know her name or her reputation. I had no idea about her academic and professional background. Over time, I got to know this upright, rigorous and surprising woman who carved her own path by fighting for women’s rights, human rights and Indigenous rights.

Like every woman who built a remarkable professional career, Senator Dupuis’s journey was marked by significant challenges. Making a name for herself in well-guarded and protected sectors required strength of character and a great deal of boldness. She managed to make her way and find her place on her own terms.

Respectful in every way, Senator Dupuis made a name for herself as a woman in politics. Here in the chamber, she is a delight to watch and listen to. Calm and poised when she rises to speak, she weighs her words carefully and gets her message across, always in French. All of her speeches are thought‑provoking. It is such a pleasure to listen to her. She is never one to waste words or make disparaging remarks. She provides only relevant information.

I’ve also had the privilege of spending many long hours with her as a seatmate in the Senate, and I must admit that every day is a pleasure. We confide in each other, comment on what we see or hear in this chamber, and sometimes refer to the Rules of the Senate when we witness behaviour, comments or interpretations of the rules that don’t seem right.

Renée, you’re a brilliant, cultured and caring woman, who has remained strong and free and who managed to successfully balance a career as a lawyer, jurist, lecturer, teacher, administrator, senator, wife, mother and grandmother. I commend you for that, dear colleague.

We’ve reached a point in our lives where we must part ways. We’re back to where we started, where our paths crossed over seven years ago. What a pleasure, and above all, what an honour it has been to get to know you and to come to appreciate and value you.

You still have great things to do, to write and to accomplish. The path under your feet continues, and you still have a long road to travel.

I look forward to seeing you again, Renée.

Honourable colleagues, senator, my dear Renée Dupuis, having learned about your career from reading your latest work, Ce chemin sous mes pas, recently published by Éditions du Boréal, and having heard the glowing tributes others have paid you over so many years, I must nevertheless fondly find fault with you, senator.

You’ve made all your expertise, your knowledge and your experience available to the Senate of Canada since November 2016. As a member of the Independent Senators Group, you’ve championed Senate modernization with strength and conviction. The problem is, you’re leaving us too soon, senator, depriving us of your presence. The truth is, dear Renée, you’re humble and perhaps too self-effacing sometimes, and I believe many of us won’t have had enough time to appreciate you as much as you deserve.

Still, I’ve learned so much from watching and listening to you. You’ve awakened me to our constitutional responsibility to speak French, the language of Gabrielle Roy, in this place, a language that you cherish and speak so eloquently, perhaps a result of your close association with a poet whose inspiring words are admired both here and elsewhere.

You’ve taught me how to listen and how to articulate rigorous arguments based on law and facts. Throughout your career, you’ve worked to defend the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples with passion, clarity and compassion. As you once said very wisely:

I am a long-distance walker. I carved a path in the hope that it would one day lead us to a meeting place with Indigenous peoples, halfway between what makes us, us and what makes them, them . . . .

I echo that sentiment, because the remarkable work that you have done in that regard, senator, should be an inspiration to every one of us.

There’s so much to say to show our gratitude and appreciation, senator, but it is time to say goodbye. And so, honourable senator, in the words of poet Pierre Morency, whom you know well and who will forgive me for borrowing his words, I wish you:

A room under the Milky Way.

A house perched on a boat at the mouth of a river.

A select wood at the centre of the island.

A place devoid of partitions.

A lamp with a mane of night and light.

A bed just before I fall.

Cafés in Paris, in Quebec City, in Provence.

A city in the highlands headed for Lavandou citruses.

A small round tent clinging to the Bylot ice floe.

Cuba’s downy cayos.

The dark sands of Baie du Renard.

The whistling pines of Alliougana.

That tiny blue desk facing the mighty river.

Birch trees with bear-scratched bark.

The foot of Cape Maillard in Charlevoix.

Enjoy your retirement, my dear Renée.