Honourable senators, I rise today with a heavy heart but also with hope for the future to pay homage to Pope Francis and celebrate Pope Leo. I had the honour to attend Pope Francis’ funeral and Pope Leo’s inaugural mass.

A man of the people, humble, compassionate and progressive, Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025. He was a highly respected religious leader whose pontificate was defined by a profound commitment to interreligious dialogue, climate change advocacy and concern for marginalized populations.

In his last homily on Easter Sunday — the Church’s holiest day — Pope Francis urged us to do the following:

. . . to renew the gift of hope within us, to surrender our sufferings and our concerns to hope, to share it with those whom we meet along our journey and to entrust to hope the future of our lives and the destiny of the human family. And so we cannot settle for the fleeting things of this world or give in to sadness; we must run, filled with joy. . . .

While his departure does fill us with sadness, his life’s work must also fill us with joy. I am confident the College of Cardinals elected the right successor to pursue his mission of kindness and compassion.

Born Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo becomes the two hundred and sixty-seventh head of the Catholic Church and the first North American. In his inaugural homily, he reminded us:

. . . we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest. . . .

His Holiness hopes that the Church can be “. . . a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. . . .” And he called on our goodwill to build a world where peace reigns.

His message can serve as a guiding light toward reconciliation, non-violence and peaceful dialogue, especially in today’s increasingly fractured world.

Honourable colleagues, as we open the Forty-fifth Canadian Parliament, I hope the message of humility and compassion that shaped Pope Francis’ legacy will guide us during our deliberations. Equally important is Pope Leo’s message of unity and dialogue. We may occasionally disagree — sometimes passionately — but we must do so with respect, understanding and empathy as we work to better the lives of our fellow citizens.

Regardless of faith, there is a universality in their message that we can — and should — all embrace. Thank you. Meegwetch.