SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Power to Change Canada

Honourable senators, I rise today to recognize the far-reaching and enduring impact of Power to Change Canada, an organization that has spent more than half a century fostering hope, character and leadership within our borders and far beyond.

Known originally as Campus Crusade for Christ, this organization has a storied 57-year history in our country. What began on university campuses has blossomed into a diverse family of ministries reaching every corner of society.

From Athletes in Action, which supports our sporting communities, to the Christian Embassy right here in our nation’s capital, their mission is simple yet profound: to help people experience the life-changing power of faith.

The Christian Embassy in particular has served for 40 years as a bridge between leaders in Ottawa and the diplomatic corps, providing a space for reflection and values-based encouragement. Its executive director, Darlene McLean, whom I have known since shortly after my appointment in 2009, has been a steadfast friend and spiritual guide to many in this city, myself included.

My connection to Power to Change is deeply personal. As a first-year student at the University of British Columbia, or UBC, the mentorship I found through Campus Crusade and Athletes in Action was formative. Growing up in a home where my parents modelled an unwavering faith, these ministries provided the scaffolding I needed to integrate my beliefs with my ambitions. They helped shape the person I am today.

However, there is more to this story. Before my life in this chamber, I began a 21-year teaching career in Abbotsford, B.C., the very city where Power to Change is now headquartered.

In 1988, in one of my English classrooms, sat a bright Grade 8 student named Darren Young. I could never have imagined that, decades later, in 2024, our paths would cross again here in Ottawa, with Darren serving as the president of Power to Change Canada.

To see a former student lead an organization that so impacted my own youth is a source of immense pride and a sense of divine providence.

Honourable senators, in this chamber, we represent Canadians of all faiths and those who do not practise a religion. While I speak as a lifelong Christian, I believe we can all applaud the spirit of service that Power to Change embodies. Their commitment to the vulnerable, their dedication to families and their investment in the next generation enrich the social fabric of our nation and help make the world a better place.