Honourable senators, Friba Rezayee is an Afghan-Canadian who is the CEO and founder of the non-profit organization Women Leaders of Tomorrow. One of their initiatives is to provide full scholarships for deserving and ambitious young women who want to pursue higher education in Canada when this education is otherwise denied to them in their countries of origin.

One such person is a young Afghan woman whose first name is Zakera. I decline to give her full name for her security and that of her family. She was attending Kabul University when the Taliban took over the country and banned university education for women. The Taliban raided her house, looking for any documentation with which to persecute her. She had to hide in a shrine for 12 hours until they left the property.

The Canadian government rejected her visa application. She was heartbroken and despondent, believing that the doors to her education were closing for good. Senator McPhedran brought this issue to my attention. Zakera had received a full scholarship to attend Cape Breton University this fall, and Senator McPhedran asked me if I could help. I said to leave it with me, although I wasn’t sure what, if anything, I could do.

As I was sitting here, pondering what to do, I looked across the way and saw my colleague, friend and fellow Cape Bretoner Senator Cuzner. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so I made a beeline for Senator Cuzner. I explained the circumstances to him and asked if he could speak to the minister responsible. Of course, if he were allowed to be a member of the government caucus, it would have been much easier for him to pursue the matter, but he didn’t have the natural access to caucus that Liberal senators used to have. We should always be mindful of unintended consequences, shouldn’t we?

Today, Zakera is a full-time student at Cape Breton University. Senator Cuzner’s intervention with the minister secured the necessary visa. I want to thank Senator Cuzner for his assistance in enabling this young woman to pursue her education. It was also personally satisfying for me to play a small role in rectifying this impasse.

I also commend Senator McPhedran for her unceasing efforts to help these unfortunate souls who need assistance, and I salute Friba Rezayee for the successes of her non-profit organization. I am so glad you are here today with us in the Senate so we can recognize all the great work you are doing for young women around the world.

Zakera wants the Senate to know that she is now studying with enthusiasm and determination. She thanks us for our help and writes she would not have been able to continue her education if not for the intervention of the Senate.

This is a good example for all senators of how the pursuit of common goals along non-partisan lines should always be top of mind in our deliberations. Thank you.