Expression of Thanks and Good Wishes

Honourable senators, before we leave, and as we come to the end of a productive session, on behalf of the leaders and facilitators of all the groups and caucuses, and on behalf of all honourable senators, I rise to express our sincere gratitude.

I would like to highlight the outstanding commitment of the dedicated staff in our offices and all the exceptional teams who contribute to the success of our work on behalf of all Canadians.

To the Usher of the Black Rod — and I will let him know personally — his office and the pages, all the Senate directorates and teams working under the guidance of our Clerk of the Senate, Ms. Shaila Anwar, as well as the staff of the Library of Parliament, the Parliamentary Protective Service, International and Interparliamentary Affairs, Parliamentary Protocol, Multimedia Services, the stenographers, the interpreters and the Translation Bureau, thank you, thank you, thank you.

It is impossible for me to imagine how a Parliament could function without you.

It is your expertise and dedication to excellence that enable us, as parliamentarians, to serve Canadians to the high standard they expect and deserve.

As I reflect on the past year, my first year as the forty-sixth Speaker of this chamber —

I’m still standing, by the way.

When I think back to my early days as an educator and a teacher, I have always believed in the power of collaboration and lifelong learning. I must admit, I am still learning a lot every day. These principles have been my guiding lights throughout my career, and they continue to shape my approach here in the Senate.

My special thanks to the Speaker pro tempore, Senator Ringuette —

— who guides and supports me in this journey.

In this chamber, I know that all senators strive to ensure that every voice is heard, every perspective is respected, and that together we can achieve great things for our country.

Dear colleagues, your passion for our work together and for the important work that we do on behalf of all Canadians is a constant source of inspiration.

Let’s keep working together to build a bright future for all Canadians.

As we adjourn for the summer, let’s not forget that we still have a great deal of work to do. The issues debated and the policies developed in this chamber will continue to have an impact on our fellow citizens.

Let’s use this time to reconnect with our communities, to listen to any concerns that are shared with us and then bring those ideas back here in the fall. This is also a time to recharge and create memories with loved ones.

On behalf of Senator Gold, Senator Plett, Senator Saint-Germain, Senator Tannas and Senator Dalphond, thank you, and please enjoy your summer.