SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — National Public Service Week

Honourable senators, it is National Public Service Week in Canada, and I want to recognize the thousands of public servants who work hard every day at the municipal, provincial and federal levels to keep us safe and make our lives better. This, of course, includes those who work in National Defence, policing, security, nursing and teaching, and university administrators and social workers. We have a number of former senior public servants in the Senate — leaders — including Senators Boehm, Shugart, Saint-Germain, Arnot, Marshall, Anderson, Boniface, Busson and Dagenais. We thank all of you for your public service and diplomacy, which continues in this place and outside of it.

Today, I also want to recognize that public service can take many forms. We have another senator here who does great public service, even though his career peaked as one of Canada’s senior bank executives. I see that Senator Marwah has some special guests here today: his wife, Amrin, and his two daughters, Nanki and Gurbani; his son-in-law, Doug; and three grandchildren, Amrie, Rulison and, yes, little Sabi as well. Sabi is very proud of his family — I know that you understand that — and he speaks very fondly of you all, and I know you’re all fond of him too.

There’s something I want you to know about Sabi. He brought all of his senior banking skills into the Senate, and he has worked very hard to make the Senate a better place — a better place to work and a place that works well. Sabi was head of probably the most important committee in the Senate: He was responsible for managing our money, and he is really good at that, as you probably know. He was responsible for ensuring that we treat each other well and that we all come to work in a safe and healthy place every day, a place where young people can work and learn about how laws are made and how government works. Sabi has helped us understand some important pieces of legislation as well, as the sponsor of a budget bill, a very important international trade agreement whose real title is too long for me to get through in the time available and a private member’s bill on Sikh Heritage Month.

Sabi is also generous in working for and supporting many charities and other worthy causes, although he never talks about that because modesty is one of Sabi’s virtues as well. Sabi likes to help people who need our help most. He has brought members of the deaf-blind community, those who can’t see or hear, to meet with us in the Senate for the past two years so that we can understand what sort of help they need and they deserve.

And there’s another reason that Sabi is one of our favourite senators: We like his jokes. He has a great sense of humour, and I am sure he makes all of you laugh too.

Colleagues, today, as we celebrate Canada’s public servants, let’s celebrate the fantastic public servants we have right here in the Senate, which very much includes our colleague Senator Sabi Marwah. Thank you, colleagues.