Honourable senators, on this day, I am pleased to be able to welcome to our chamber — and I want to thank everyone for your warm welcome to — Ambassador Guðjónsson and Lulu Yee as they begin to say farewell to Canada and return to Iceland.

Some in this chamber will remember Manitoba’s Conservative senator Janis Johnson, one of the few Icelandic-Canadian parliamentarians who was retiring as I was arriving here, after persuading me to apply under prime minister Justin Trudeau’s new system. My dad, a veterinarian, and Janis’s dad, a medical doctor, were both recruited by the visionary Conservative premier of Manitoba the Honourable Duff Roblin, who later served in this chamber with distinction.

This is a special year for Iceland and Canada because 150 years ago, Senator Johnson’s ancestors left Iceland and came to Manitoba, resulting now with the largest number of Icelanders outside of Iceland still living in Manitoba. In Gimli, Manitoba, one can wake and retire having spoken only Icelandic through the day.

During Women’s History Month, let me tell you about October 24, 2025, in Iceland — 50 years since the “Women’s Day Off.” It made visible the power of women’s work and sparked a global movement for change. On that day, 90% of Iceland’s women took a day off. The country stopped; the world listened. It was not just a day off. It was a moment that changed so much. The “Women’s Day Off” of 1975 ignited a global movement for equality. At its heart were the trailblazing women of the Redstockings movement — courageous, uncompromising and visionary. Their voices and leadership sparked change that reshaped Iceland and inspired generations worldwide.

In the decades since, Iceland has transformed ideals into action, becoming the global benchmark for gender equality, closing more than 90% of the gender gap. But progress is not just measured in numbers. It is built on solidarity, courage and the belief that equality uplifts everyone.

Ambassador Guðjónsson and Ms. Yee, thank you and fare-thee-well. See you in Iceland.