Honourable senators, I rise today respectfully speaking from the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. On Friday, we will honour a special Canadian, Wanita Johnson (née Hovey), who is celebrating her one-hundredth birthday.

Wanita was born on November 6, 1920, in the small farming community of Taymouth, New Brunswick, on the Nashwaak River. Her maternal ancestors were Scottish highlanders who fought with the British army during the American Revolution and were later granted land along the Nashwaak. Her father’s people farmed on the Miramichi River.

Wanita’s mother died when she was a young girl, so she was raised by her aunt with a large family of cousins. She completed Grades 1 through 8 in a one-room schoolhouse at Taymouth. At 16, she moved to Smiths Falls, Ontario, to live with another aunt and uncle.

As World War II engulfed the country, Wanita moved to Ottawa to work as a stenographer in the federal government. She met her future husband, Charles Johnson, who came from Manitoba to work in the Department of Agriculture. Charlie joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and, after training as a radio telegraph operator, he sailed off to Europe for four years. The two maintained their relationship through correspondence.

When Charlie returned home, they married in 1947. Following the birth of their daughter, Wanita left her working life behind. When the Korean War started, she went back to work as a secretary in the Department of Defence Production. Wanita continued to work until 1985, a total of 44 years in Canada’s public service.

After retirement, she volunteered in neighbourhood schools and at the Ottawa Cancer Clinic, played bridge and travelled around the world. Her Canadian travels included Atlin, British Columbia, to Inuvik, Northwest Territories, and everywhere in between, which is, of course, the Yukon.

The arrival of a great-grandson in Whitehorse provided the impetus for a permanent move to Whitehorse in 2011.

Honourable senators, the story of Wanita’s life speaks to me of what it means to be a Canadian, from the East to the West, living in the North, especially a working life in the public service of Canadians.

At 100, Wanita retains her zest for life. Her recipe? “Enjoy your family and friends, be kind to people and do the best you can each day.”

Wise words, Wanita. Thank you. On behalf of all my Senate colleagues, may I wish you a happy one-hundredth birthday.

Thank you. Mahsi’ cho.