Honourable senators, I rise today to once again congratulate Senator MacAdam on her appointment to the Senate and to welcome her to our chamber.

Senator MacAdam joins the Senate as we continue to pursue our modernization project, which includes the goal of seeking greater gender equality. Although we cannot pretend to have broken the glass ceiling — because achieving equality is much more than simply a matter of numbers — with your arrival here today, Senator MacAdam — and just before you, Senator Petten’s — over 50% of the senators appointed to this chamber are women. That’s very good news.

Colleagues, Senator MacAdam is a chartered professional accountant with over 40 years of experience in legislative auditing. She recently served as the auditor general of Prince Edward Island, her home province, for seven years.

Senator MacAdam has worked in the areas of climate change policy and social assistance, among others.

Senator, there is still so much work to be done in those areas. Here in the Senate, you will continue to play an important role in keeping a watchful eye over studies and legislation in those areas.

Senator MacAdam, I can only imagine that your Island colleagues, Senator Downe and Senator Francis, have already told you that your wealth of experience in accounting, finance and auditing will certainly be an asset to several Senate committees, be it the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, the Banking Committee or the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight. In all of these, your expertise will be valued, of course. But the Senate is also a place to bring your expertise to many areas. Allow me to encourage you to seize the opportunity to explore new issues of interest to you while you are here.

Senator MacAdam, I have all the confidence that you will be a strong voice for Atlantic Canadians and, indeed, for all Canadians as you exercise your role here at the Senate.

Once again, welcome to the Senate. Here, the month of June is one of the busiest times of the year, as we are all experiencing. There’s no better way to get to know this place than by diving in feet first. Welcome, Senator MacAdam. We look forward to working with you.

Honourable senators, on behalf of the opposition and the Senate Conservative caucus, I am pleased to welcome our new colleague the Honourable Beverly Jane MacAdam to the Senate of Canada and to our Senate family.

Today, as you take your seat in the upper chamber, I am sure that you are filled with excitement and anticipation — like many of us were on our first day in the Senate. It is also a day where we feel the weight of the responsibility that has been entrusted to each of us. Our duty, as senators, is to ensure that what we do is in the best interests of Canadians — and, in your case, the best interests of the people of Prince Edward Island and Atlantic Canada. I trust that you will do your utmost best to ensure that the voices of the great people of P.E.I. are well represented in Parliament, especially in this chamber.

Senator MacAdam, I am pleased to see that your sponsor today is Senator Elizabeth Marshall, as you both appear to have similar backgrounds and experiences. Your experience as Prince Edward Island’s Auditor General from 2013 to 2020, as well as your 40 years of experience working in legislative accounting, will certainly benefit both your committee work and the work of the Senate. Financial auditing is important, and your eyes and perspective on the many decisions we are called upon to make in this chamber will be welcome.

That is true even more so now, as we are dealing with a government that refuses to tell Canadians how much they will be on the hook for interest payments on the rising debt for the fiscal year. Your input on financial prudence is needed, and it will hopefully carry a lot of weight, as do many of Senator Marshall’s interventions.

Senator MacAdam, our Conservative caucus looks forward to working and collaborating with you in this chamber and at committee. Welcome once again to the Senate of Canada, and best wishes to you as you begin this new chapter of your life.

It is my turn to have the pleasure of welcoming our new colleague.

Senator Jane MacAdam, you are officially opening a new chapter of your life today, and, as this chapter begins, I am honoured to congratulate and welcome you to the Red Chamber on behalf of all the members of the Independent Senators Group. I will take this moment to also welcome your family members, especially one of your granddaughters who seems to be ready to be part of the conversation here — hello to you.

In a recent interview following your appointment, you eloquently expressed your motivations for joining the Senate. You noted that you believe you have more to offer in terms of working for your province and the country, and that the duties align well with your background and experience. Those sentiments serve as a testament to your dedication to serve the people of this country, and I have no doubt that you will do so with the same drive that marked your career so far.

Senator MacAdam, you are bringing a solid background in legislative auditing, having served for seven years as the first female Auditor General of Prince Edward Island. That experience has given you a unique perspective on the importance of transparency and accountability in government operations, and we are confident you will bring that same level of diligence and attention to detail to your work as a senator.

You have been a key player in many high-profile reports and audits at the provincial, regional and national levels, including the collaborative report by a team of 10 auditors general from across the country entitled Perspectives on Climate Change Action in Canada.

With your swearing-in, our institution’s audit expertise has now doubled. Indeed, our esteemed colleague Senator Marshall, your sponsor today, who is also from Atlantic Canada, served for 10 years as the Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Your work examining government organizations, programs and services as an independent officer of the legislative assembly covered a broad spectrum of areas, from climate change and health care to social and economic programs — all areas that also fall within the Senate purview.

Your career proves your independent thinking, and your capacity to look at issues objectively and with an open mind.

When you received the Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants award, the clerk of your province’s legislative assembly said:

I think one of the things that really struck me is her coolness under pressure, and her ability to assess very quickly the types of questions that she was receiving and give thorough responses without stepping into some of the land mines that she is often presented with.

Your coolness under pressure is one of the skills that will certainly be put to the test in the Senate — sooner rather than later, I might add — as you join us at a very busy time that we like to call “silly season.”

Senator MacAdam, congratulations and welcome to the Senate of Canada.

Honourable senators, it is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to welcome a new member to our chamber. On behalf of the Progressive Senate Group, I’m delighted to join the other leaders today in welcoming Senator Jane MacAdam as she takes her seat. And I love welcoming another Jane to the chamber.

As has been noted, Senator MacAdam, you will follow in the footsteps of Senator Marshall, a fellow former auditor. In the coming days, we’ll all be treated to Senator Marshall’s analysis of the current budget bill, and I know she sets a high bar. Soon, it will be your turn to do the same.

It’s equally important to note that although we all join this place with expectations of the particular issues that might be most important to us, we are often surprised by where we may end up. I encourage you to keep an open mind, attend as many different committee meetings as you’d like and see what ends up attracting your attention.

Senator MacAdam, you are joining us at the start of what is often referred to as “silly season” here on Parliament Hill. We are in a legislative crunch as the summer approaches. Our sittings get longer, and sometimes procedural manœuvres become, shall we say, more frequent. In terms of learning the ropes here, it’s certainly a trial by fire — and I’m not just referring to the smoke outside.

I, too, joined the Senate at the start of June, and I can assure you that while it can be a bit overwhelming, these late nights can also be when new friendships are forged.

Senator MacAdam, on behalf of the Progressive Senate Group, it is my pleasure to officially welcome you to the Senate of Canada. We look forward to working with you.