SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — The Honourable Tony Loffreda
Congratulations on Appointment
December 5, 2019
Honourable senators, I now call upon the leadership to offer remarks for our new Senator Loffreda.
Honourable senators, this is the fiftieth time that I have had the honour of walking up the aisle with a new senator. It is indeed an honour as the still Government Representative to do so today and to give a welcome, a bienvenue, a benvenuto to our newest colleague. The Honourable Senator Tony Loffreda, is here to represent, as we heard moments ago, his province of Quebec and the division of Shawinegan.
Senator Loffreda brings a wealth of business knowledge and 35 years of experience in the finance sector, but his appointment is about far more than his contribution to the world of business.
His philanthropic contributions are truly impressive and demonstrate how committed he is to the well-being of his community, his city, his province and his country.
As Vice-Chairman of Royal Bank of Canada Wealth Management, Senator Loffreda co-chaired over 100 initiatives that benefited communities and people in need. A big heart and a keen intellect are qualities that make a good parliamentarian. Senator Loffreda already demonstrated a strong understanding of a senator’s role when he said in a recent interview, “It’s not just about having an opinion. It’s about showing good judgment.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Senator, we welcome you to this chamber. We look forward to your contributions to our deliberations, and thank you for your family’s indulgence as this will cost them time with you, but we benefit with that time. Thank you.
Honourable senators, although I am not sorry that Senator Harder won’t be bringing any more senators into the chamber, I wish it was for different reasons than what they are. Senator Harder, it has been a pleasure working with you.
Honourable senators, I want to begin by welcoming all of you back to this chamber after an extended break. I hope you had a good summer and are ready for a productive session of Parliament.
It is with great pleasure that I rise today to welcome our newest colleague to this chamber, the Honourable Tony Loffreda.
Senator Loffreda, congratulations on your appointment and welcome to the Senate of Canada. I know that you have had a few months since your appointment in July to begin to get oriented. But I also know how challenging it can be as you adjust to your new responsibilities as a senator. I want to assure you, senator, that you are surrounded by friends and colleagues on both sides of this chamber who are happy to provide you with whatever assistance we can. I know I speak for all senators when I say, don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us at any time.
Colleagues, as you have already heard, Senator Loffreda’s credentials are long and well established. Most recently he was Vice-Chairman of RBC Wealth Management. Before that, he was a regional vice-president with RBC. He was a senior manager with the National Bank of Canada for many years, and prior to that, he was senior audit manager with Raymond Chabot Grant Thorton.
Despite Senator Loffreda’s significant professional achievements, it is clear that he never lost his connection to his community and to those who are in need. He is well-known for his years of dedicated service to the Italian community, to his city of Montreal, and to the province of Quebec, which is clearly demonstrated by his long track record of philanthropy and volunteer efforts. In fact, I counted 21 boards and committees that Senator Loffreda has served on. These include such things as sports, health care, economic development, performing arts, fundraising to fight autism and cancer and many more.
All of this demonstrates the wealth of knowledge and experience that Senator Loffreda brings to this chamber. But it also shows the level of respect that he has gained from his fellow Canadians, a respect which has been repeatedly evidenced by the many awards Senator Loffreda has received. There are simply too many awards to mention, but they include the Quebec Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal, the Canadian Senate’s 150 Medal and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Senator Loffreda was also a recipient of the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award in 2014, which recognizes individuals who have made a significant, sustained, unpaid contribution to their community. It was noted that Senator Loffreda was a shining example of this.
Honourable senators, we know that winning the confidence of Canadians is not always easy, yet in a parliamentary democracy, such confidence is critically important. I am delighted that Senator Loffreda brings to this chamber, not only his professional experience and expertise, but a resounding endorsement from those he will be representing.
Senator Loffreda, I have every confidence that you will be a strong voice for your city and for your region and that you will make a great contribution to your province, to your country and to the Senate of Canada. On behalf of the Conservative caucus, welcome to the Senate of Canada.
Honourable senators, Antonio “Tony” Loffreda, on behalf of myself and all the members of the Independent Senators Group, I welcome your appointment today. I also want to welcome the 18 members of your family who have come to witness this memorable event. This richly deserved appointment is the culmination of a distinguished professional and philanthropic career that included stints in many different fields, such as finance, business, health and culture. Your community involvement is exemplary, as the announcement of your appointment rightly recognized.
The fundamental role of the Senate is to represent Canada’s diverse minority communities. In every respect, your career has led you to become a standard bearer for these communities and for the vulnerable and voiceless. You have staunchly represented the interests of linguistic and cultural minorities, especially the large Italian community of Quebec and Canada. As the first native-born Canadian of Italian origin to be appointed to the Senate, you will be giving this community another reason to be proud.
Today is an important day, not only for you, as it is your first time sitting in this chamber, but also for all of us. Today marks the first day of a new Parliament. It is the first change of legislature since the Senate reform began in 2015.
Senator Loffreda, you are coming at quite an exciting time in Senate history. There has never been more diversity in the Senate than in the one that is gathered today, whether it be in the diversity in the representation of Indigenous peoples, of women, in the expertise of senators, in the diversity of linguistic minorities. Senate reform has just begun. It has yet to be finalized and there is a long road still ahead, but I believe this Forty-third Parliament is a time of opportunity for all of us to contribute to these ongoing changes.
In this new chapter, Senator Loffreda, your experience will undoubtedly be an important asset. It is a well-kept secret that senators work very hard in the Senate. As your long and fruitful career has shown, you are no stranger to either of those things. Your versatility and work ethic will fit perfectly with this institution. For these reasons, I am confident that you will provide a strong and long-lasting contribution to the work of the Senate. Welcome.
Senator Loffreda, welcome.
You arrive here on an auspicious day in what I expect will be a special and unusual Parliament. When I read your biography on the day of the announcement, I noted the depth of your career. You are a fellow traveller in the financial services industry, you are an accountant by training, and you are good with numbers. That will stand you well here. There is a lot of calculating that goes on here.
We’re glad to have you. Your skills and perspective are welcome and needed here. Welcome, senator, on behalf of our group.
Honourable senators, on behalf of the progressive Senate group, I would like to welcome all senators back to this chamber.
Senator Loffreda, I am pleased to join Senators Harder, Plett, Saint-German and Tannas in welcoming you to this chamber. There is little more I can add to what my colleagues have already said about your accomplished life before your arrival here today. We congratulate you for that and we thank you for agreeing to serve in the Senate of Canada.
However, I would like to reflect a moment on why we are all here. Our primary purpose is the scrutiny of legislation, with what Sir John A. Macdonald called “sober second thought.” We propose amendments to bills when we feel those amendments are necessary or desirable. We advocate for minorities, such as Indigenous peoples, women, and persons with disabilities. We represent our regions and their place in Confederation. While we fulfill that traditional role, we are changing and modernizing how this chamber operates in order to better reflect the expectations of Canadians.
We have seen some recent changes, with the creation of the new Canadian Senators Group under the leadership of Senator Tannas and Senator Verner, with the creation of our new parliamentary group, the progressive Senate group, and with the election of a new Leader of the Opposition, Senator Plett.
I would also like to take a moment to thank Senator Harder for his leadership as Government Representative, and Senators Bellemare and Mitchell for the role they each played in the last Parliament. Also, I would like to thank Senator Smith. Your leadership was well displayed here with your team.
We must never forget that our fundamental goal remains to make our provinces, our regions and our country a better place for Canada.
Senator Loffreda, I’m certain that your expertise will be an asset to us in the work we do moving forward. Once again, the progressive group welcomes you to the Senate of Canada. My colleagues and I look forward to working with you. Welcome.
