THE SENATE — Tributes

Honourable senators, on behalf of the Canadian Senators Group, I rise today to pay tribute to our friend and colleague the late Honourable Todd Lewis.

Within this chamber, three parts of Todd’s world — three families of sorts — come together today, united by our affection and respect for him and gratitude for having had him in our lives.

First is his true family, those who loved him as a husband, father, brother and cherished member of the Lewis family.

Second are his friends and colleagues in Canadian agriculture, where Todd was a trusted voice and tireless advocate for farmers, rural communities and the industry he served.

And last are his Senate colleagues. Here, Todd brought his knowledge and understanding of Saskatchewan and Canadian agriculture to our work, always focused on making a meaningful contribution. That he did so with warmth, curiosity and a wonderfully mischievous sense of humour was an added gift. There was often a twinkle behind Todd’s humour. It made him not only a valued colleague but a cherished friend.

Simply put, Todd was a good man. He was dependable, thoughtful and generous with his time and counsel. When there was work to be done, he stepped forward. When someone needed support, he was there. He entered public life and service for all the right reasons. He cared deeply about Canada and building a strong and sustainable future for Canadian agriculture.

Todd never lost sight of what mattered most. Terry, Kim, Rod, John and their families meant the world to him. He adored them and was immensely proud of them. He cherished the life they shared.

I am particularly pleased that the Lewis family could join us today. Leaving the farm during harvest is far from easy.

We are grateful you are here and grateful beyond words that you shared Todd with all of us. Please know that this Senate family mourns alongside you.

Todd had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, valued and welcome. With family and friends in Gray and at Shed Horn, in the farming community he served, in everyday encounters with people who piqued his curiosity and here, among his Senate colleagues, Todd brought people together.

As I look around this chamber today, he is still bringing people together. Under one roof are these three families that shaped his life and were, in turn, shaped by him.

Todd’s early death is a loss that reaches well beyond those gathered here. Saskatchewan has lost an important voice for its future; Canada, a dedicated public servant; and Canadian agriculture, one of its most knowledgeable and steady champions.

Senator Lewis was with us for far too short a time, but he had already made his mark. He brought a practical and deeply informed perspective to our work on agriculture, energy and transportation, in particular.

There was so much more he wanted to contribute and so much more we expected he would. That is part of what makes his loss so profound. But Todd leaves us an example from which perhaps we can all learn. Todd listened before he spoke. He took in different perspectives around the table, and when he did offer his thoughts, they had weight. He had a gift for cutting through the noise, summing up what really mattered and, more often than not, pointing us toward a practical path forward. He also brought laughter and kindness to his work and his life.

Today, we remember Todd with gratitude for his life, admiration for his service and appreciation for the example he set. I think there is no better way to conclude than with a line Todd’s family will know well — a little Cousin Eddie that always got a laugh in the Lewis family. I can almost hear Todd saying, “Well, that’s real, real nice.”

May Todd rest in peace.

Honourable senators, today, I wish to pay tribute to our colleague, the Honourable Todd Lewis. We are deeply saddened at his passing. His time here was far too brief, but he will be remembered as a man who was deeply devoted to his province, his community and serving others.

He joined this chamber only last year, but he brought a lifetime of experience and a deep connection to the people and land of Saskatchewan.

That connection ran deep. Senator Lewis was the fourth generation of his family to work the land near Gray, south of Regina, where his family’s roots date back to 1904. He spent more than four decades working those fields, living by the rhythms and uncertainties of the prairie and building his life around the land. Farming was more than his livelihood; it shaped his sense of responsibility, community and public service.

Saskatchewan writer Sinclair Ross once wrote of prairie farmsteads as a “. . . testimony of human hardihood and endurance.” The phrase seems especially fitting as we remember Senator Lewis. He knew what it meant to work the land and live with uncertainty — and to do both with patience, perseverance and responsibility.

He brought those same qualities to public life. For more than 20 years, Senator Lewis served on the council of the Rural Municipality of Lajord, where his fellow councillors later appointed him deputy reeve. He was also a school board trustee and a volunteer firefighter.

Beyond his community, he became a leading voice for Saskatchewan agriculture, serving as president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and later as first vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

What stands out about his life is not just how long he served others but how consistently he did so. Well before he arrived in Ottawa, Senator Lewis was already devoting his time and energy to helping others in his municipality, his community and the farming community.

He arrived in the Senate with a wealth of first-hand experience. For him, farming was not just an abstract concept or an economic sector. It was a way of life for families and entire communities, one that requires a lot of patience, courage and perseverance.

He never lost that practical understanding of rural life.

Senator Lewis understood what it meant to depend on the weather and the soil, on transport and research, on markets and on decisions made far from the farm gate. Even in his brief time here, he continued to speak for those communities and for the importance of Canadian agriculture and agricultural research.

There is a particular sadness in losing a colleague just as we were beginning to see the full measure of what he could bring to this institution. But while Senator Lewis’ time here was brief, his life of service was not. It was measured in decades — in a lifetime of work on the land, meetings attended, neighbours helped, communities served and causes patiently advanced.

To his wife, Terry, to his family, his friends, his colleagues and the rural and farming communities that knew him so well, I offer my deepest condolences. May they take comfort in knowing that Senator Lewis gave a great deal of himself to the people and places he served and that his life left a mark far beyond the short time he spent amongst us.

Honourable senators, I am speaking today on behalf of the Independent Senators Group to pay tribute to our late colleague the Honourable Todd Lewis.

Colleagues, not all of us had the privilege of knowing him as well as some of you did. But as we learn more about his life, we come to realize just how central his commitment to the common good was. There is a difference between being part of a community and choosing to devote yourself to making it stronger. Todd Lewis made that choice time and again.

For more than 40 years, he farmed his family’s land near Gray, Saskatchewan, as a fourth-generation farmer, but his engagement in his community extended far beyond that. He served on the local school board. He devoted more than 20 years to the council of the Rural Municipality of Lajord. He was a volunteer firefighter. He chaired the board of his community rink.

And when he believed that farmers needed a stronger voice, he stepped forward in that respect as well. He devoted many years to the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, including serving as its president, before continuing his advocacy at the national level with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Ultimately, his desire to serve brought him here, to the Senate of Canada. It is apparent from his career that his commitment was driven by a conviction that each of us bears a responsibility toward the communities to which we belong.

I extend my deepest condolences to his family, his loved ones, his friends and all the communities he served throughout his life.

As we pay tribute to our colleague today, the legacy of the Honourable Todd Lewis reminds us that communities are strengthened by those who step forward, give of themselves and seek to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around them.

May you rest in peace, dear Senator Lewis. Thank you.

Honourable senators, I rise with a heavy heart on behalf of the Progressive Senate Group to remember our friend and colleague the Honourable Senator Todd Lewis.

During his funeral service, we heard about the farming perspective that provided a compass for how Todd approached life. He would seed in the spring and combine in the fall. As he combined, he would think of what he would need to seed in the field the next spring. In this way, he was conditioned to always think of what was needed next.

I was able to see this perspective while working with him on the steering committee of the Transport and Communications Committee. Todd was instrumental in getting our supply chain labour report across the finish line in record time. He advocated for the importance of what we were studying and what it meant for the agricultural world that would benefit from the committee’s work. It was in this context that I encountered what stands out to me as his trademark line, “It’s just common sense.”

While Todd and I came to this place with very different backgrounds, we quickly became allies and, like with many of you, friends.

While we stood shoulder to shoulder on that committee, I had the distinct pleasure of seeing his common-sense approach on the Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, when he gave parts of Bill S-4 — which I was sponsoring for the government — a very rough ride. Assurances from officials did not satisfy him as he fought for what he believed was right and in the best interests of Saskatchewan.

My favourite memory is from when the Transport Committee studied the high-speed rail project. Take a farmer from Saskatchewan and a port guy from British Columbia and ask them for their thoughts on the importance of a faster passenger train service between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal; you can imagine our reaction. We locked eyes across the room and shared a good laugh.

Fittingly, Todd’s maiden speech was on the National Agricultural Soil Health Strategy. True to form, his first words in this chamber were, “Can you imagine a farmer talking about dirt?” He then immediately launched into a technical quote from the Senate Procedure in Practice manual. This was emblematic of Senator Lewis, a farmer at heart but also a fierce intellect who could attack complex issues with confidence and ease.

While Todd’s 538 days here were far too few and the void he left behind is much too big, he made an outsized impact on Saskatchewan and on Canada. His brother Rod said it best, “Todd opened up their farming world to the rest of the world.” We are all the better for it.

To his wife, Terry, and his daughter, Kim; to our CSG colleagues, his chosen Senate family; and to all who cared for Todd, the Progressive Senate Group sends our love, and we share your grief in mourning a friend and leader gone far too soon. Rest in peace, our dear friend.

Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to our colleague the Honourable Todd Lewis.

After his unexpected passing, many of you reached out to share condolences, and on behalf of your friends in CSG, I say thank you.

We know many wanted but were unable to travel to Regina for Todd’s funeral, given the suddenness of the circumstances, so let me share with you what it was like.

Those of us who were able to attend saw Todd’s community, neighbours, and family celebrate him with much love. The service showed a side of Todd that many did not see given his too-brief time in the Senate.

So, to honour him and his family, I want to read to you from the funeral program:

Todd will be remembered for his kindness. He made people feel welcome and cared for in all aspects of his life. His loved ones will remember his charisma, warmth, generosity, infectious laugh, and his appreciation of a good joke. Todd was a community man – he loved his hometown and spent countless hours volunteering in Gray.

Todd’s first love was farming, and he was so proud of the family farm he built with his dad, brother, and nephew. Round Lake was another of his favourite places where he spent every summer with his family and many friends. He was an avid Montreal Canadiens and Roughrider fan and dedicated many of his younger years both playing and coaching football. He loved to travel and see new places. In more recent years, Todd became a leading voice for agriculture, serving with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, before being appointed to the Senate of Canada. Above all, Todd loved his family, and his happy place was anywhere he could be with them.

Todd was predeceased by his father, Donald Lewis; his mothers, Anne Lewis and Ione Barber; and brother Craig Stokes.

Todd is survived by his wife of 38 years, Terry; his daughter, Kim (Spencer); brothers Rod (Lucy) and John (Jen); nephew Brendan; and nieces Jaclynn (Kris) and Avery; as well as an abundance of extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Finally, to the Lewis family, on behalf of his Senate family, thank you for sharing Todd with us.

Honourable colleagues and Senator Lewis’s family, I wish that I had known Senator Todd Lewis much longer. I feel a sense of loss, as we all do, that someone has been taken from us who — despite his short time with us — demonstrated all the qualities of an exemplary parliamentarian.

I think that we, as senators, all recently received a copy from a Canadian author of a little book called Be a Good One, which includes advice drawn from famous quotes throughout the ages on how to be an impactful public representative. This book’s lessons could have been written by Senator Lewis.

Senator Lewis was always involved in public life, as an elected municipal representative and as an advocate for his industry, for his beloved province of Saskatchewan and for Canada. In short, long before being appointed to the Senate, Todd found a way to support the political process.

Senator Lewis portrayed a sincere belief in our capacity as parliamentarians to come together, work together and find a way forward. I was impressed after the very first meeting of the Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources that Todd attended; what an asset he was to our deliberations.

Of course, it should have come as no surprise; according to reports from his fellow citizens in Saskatchewan, throughout his career, he earned a reputation as a thoughtful, practical voice who could bring together farmers, industry groups and governments to address issues affecting agriculture. He brought that same strong, pragmatic voice to broader issues in the Senate Chamber and committees.

Senator Lewis was a grounded individual. He demonstrated humility and a genuine love for the work that he did and the people that he served. He was an excellent listener.

Senator Lewis’s character displayed all of the very best traits: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship. One of his lifelong friends shared in a local media report:

. . . he spent his life looking for the greater good. It wasn’t just about Todd, it was about the greater good for our community, our [rural municipality], Saskatchewan and then Canada.

Senator Lewis was always growing and eager to apply his wisdom and skills gained in his home province on issues from coast to coast to coast. I will always be grateful that he was part of the Energy and Environment Committee’s study group examining the oil and gas industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was a pleasure to get to know him in a setting outside of the Senate and to watch him engage with Canadians on their own turf.

As Maya Angelou famously said:

. . . people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

This sentiment was echoed by another of Senator Lewis’s admirers from Saskatchewan. He said:

One of the things that he taught me, and we should all take a lesson from, is to treat people with kindness. . . . He really fought for Saskatchewan producers and Canadian agricultural producers. Most of all, he was just a kind, gentle person. He looked out for everyone and he looked out for everyone’s best interests before his own.

Thank you, Todd. You made this world a better place.

Honourable senators, I stand today to do something I wish I had taken more time and initiative to do in person, which is to acknowledge the greatness of the Honourable Todd Lewis.

As is the case with many of us, we were just becoming familiarized with the incredible depths of his knowledge, his true Saskatchewanian sense of humour — that’s how you say it — and the remarkable size of his heart.

To be honest, Senator Lewis reminded me of my dad some 30 or 40 years ago as I grew up on the farm. He carried the same quiet presence that held such deep respect for his profession, respect for the power of the land and what it could do when cared for properly and such deep respect for his community.

Clearly, Todd knew — as we small-town Saskatchewan people do — that everyone must do their part in order for small communities to thrive, never mind exist. He just made me feel like I could be my Saskatchewan farm kid self, which is why I think so many of our conversations were really just joking around. In fact, I was reminded yesterday during the swearing-in of new senators that I had tried to convince him that there were numerous protocols that he had not been told about, but he didn’t flinch.

I came to realize early in his appointment the depth of his knowledge, and as a Saskatchewan Agriculture and Forestry Committee representative, I knew I would come to rely on him for his Saskatchewan-based knowledge and expertise. So many times, I tapped him on the shoulder, accosted him in the hallway and dominated his time while enjoying an after-session pint at D’Arcy McGee’s, which, by the way, served as the primary location for the efforts of Senator Klyne, myself and other members of the Progressive Senate Group, or PSG, in trying to convert him to join the PSG.

Of course, we made outlandish promises that we knew could not even be made, all in fun, but we always knew he was exactly where he needed to be. It was always in good humour, sometimes just to get a rise out of him, and because we truly enjoyed being with him.

Honestly, my motivation was simply to have more access to his knowledge and the non-work-related conversation. I think, because I am a Saskatchewan farm kid, in connecting with him, I could relive my farm kid childhood and bring my knowledge up to date.

A real regret: I truly wish I would have made a trip to his farm so he could have shown me proof of the depth of his topsoil. That still remains ambiguous, but I remain grateful that I had the chance to experience the depth of his kindness.

May his legacy be ours to carry as we pursue good agricultural policy, and may he look down upon us with guidance and pride. May he rest in peace. May his wife, Terry; daughter, Kim; brothers, Rod and John; and many extended family and friends find peace in memories made. Thank you.