Honourable senators, our recent break made it impossible for most of us to celebrate a rare event that acknowledged the many achievements of one of us — yet it went by relatively unnoticed. Today, it gives me great pleasure to draw to our attention an achievement of one of our colleagues — a senator whom many of us look up to; someone who is easy to spot in a crowded reception; a senator whom I am privileged to call a colleague, friend and seatmate.

About two weeks ago, Senator Peter Boehm received the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This award was created by Theodor Heuss, the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany, on September 7, 1951 — three years before Senator Boehm was born.

[Editor’s Note: Senator Kutcher spoke in German.]

It recognizes special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellectual or honorary fields.

A look through the names of recipients shows that Senator Boehm is one of only a small number of non-German nationals who have been so honoured. He stands with people such as Umberto Eco, the great Italian writer whose novels The Name of the Rose and Foucault’s Pendulum were likely read by most of us; Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist whose autobiography Man’s Search for Meaning should be essential reading for everyone; Pascal Lamy, the former director-general of the World Trade Organization; Jean-Marie Lehn, who received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry; Sviatoslav Richter, one of the greatest pianists of the last century; Uğur Şahin, the founder and CEO of BioNTech; Billy Wilder, who won five Academy Awards as a director and screenplay writer; and, of course, our own Senator Omidvar, who received the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2014.

Our Peter certainly moves in distinguished company.

We all know that he had an outstanding diplomatic career that included being the Deputy Minister for the G7 Summit and the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Minister of International Development, the Senior Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador to Germany.

We also know of his commitment to and wise counsel in the work of this chamber, as well as his dedication to improving the lives of those who live with disabilities, especially the autism spectrum disorder.

However, as his seatmate, I am privileged to know a bit more. He has a wickedly dry sense of humour. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and great taste in colourful socks.

Please join me in congratulating Senator Boehm on his recent award. It is an honour that brings status not only for him personally, but also to this chamber.

[Editor’s Note: Senator Kutcher spoke in German.]