SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Tributes
The Honourable Mohammad Al Zaibak
June 11, 2026
Honourable senators, in Senator Al Zaibak’s maiden speech, he offered a line that stayed with many of us. He said, “When I turn 75, I will hopefully have repaid some of the debt I owe my beloved Canada.”
Today, as we mark his retirement, it is fair to say that debt has been repaid and then some.
While his tenure in this chamber has been shorter than many, its impact has been anything but modest. In just 918 days, Senator Al Zaibak shepherded a Senate public bill through this place and brought it to the threshold of completion in the other place. He served as deputy chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs. He distinguished himself through a disproportionately high level of engagement in Committees of the Whole, and he did not shy away from taking principled positions on complex and, at times, controversial matters.
That is a remarkable legacy in such a short period of time, and it is one of which he should be justly proud.
Colleagues will also remember how he carried out this work. Senator Al Zaibak has the rare ability to approach difficult subjects with a calm demeanour and a clear, steady voice. It is a voice with quiet authority — one that commands attention not by volume but by substance. His interventions — measured, principled and quietly persuasive — have consistently emphasized the importance of inclusion, economic opportunity and social cohesion.
Those qualities are deeply rooted in his journey. From the cradle of civilization in Syria to the boardrooms of Toronto and ultimately to the parliamentary life of Ottawa, he has brought to this chamber a perspective that is both deeply personal and profoundly Canadian. It is the perspective of someone who came to this country in search of opportunity and found not only success but a genuine and abiding love for Canada.
Senator Al Zaibak, your passion, humility and steadfast commitment to the public good will be missed in this place.
Mohammad, it is my pleasure to say this plainly: Your debt is paid. The ledger is balanced. You leave this chamber with a full account and nothing owing.
However, there is, I am told, one outstanding obligation. In that same maiden speech, you promised that, upon your retirement, you would repay your family with a very long, well‑deserved and hopefully expensive vacation. I believe that time has now arrived, and that payment is due, particularly to Najla.
On behalf of your colleagues in the Canadian Senators Group and indeed all of us who have had the privilege to serve alongside you, I wish you a happy and fulfilling retirement, safe travels and every enjoyment on your long-overdue family journey.
Honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of the Government Representative’s Office to pay tribute to our colleague the Honourable Mohammad Khair Al Zaibak.
We often associate Senator Al Zaibak with his distinguished and stately demeanour that corresponds with his worldly and expansive career. Having pursued such overarching and multi-faceted endeavours as international capital projects, economic statecraft and corporate governance, Senator Al Zaibak developed a certain unmistakable gravitas. After all, one does not successfully lead enterprises such as the Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation or Teranet without the poise and composure that the scale, reliability and versatility of public-private partnerships require.
Correspondingly, there has not been a lack of recognition for Senator Al Zaibak’s leadership, as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the International Strategy Advisory Committee and the Canada Arab Business Council each subsequently fought to gain his counsel.
With such experience, it came as no surprise that once he entered the upper chamber, Senator Al Zaibak was able to judiciously navigate Parliament toward the recognition of Arab Heritage Month and, more importantly, toward the lifting of Canadian sanctions on Syria following their regime change. This respite will provide breathing room for a Syria that is no longer experienced solely in grief or in exile and has an opportunity to bloom again. Through these important first years of transition for the country, Canadians will be there to support this new democracy, notably with the development of its civic institutions through the Canada-Syria Parliamentary Friendship Group, which Senator Al Zaibak also established.
Here, we can observe a second, more subdued part of Senator Al Zaibak. Under the cosmopolitan demeanour, Senator Al Zaibak also always cared for the less glorious parts of life. He ensured that his time and expertise also contributed to civic society, sitting on many universities or cultural boards. He attended plenty of our senatorial events, recognizing the importance of the different causes we all carry but also taking the opportunity to connect with guests and staff members.
Most importantly, he never forgot about the people, as he helped over 1,200 Syrian refugees find private sponsorships to secure their arrival in Canada. We can be proud that these refugees now call our country home, as we have had the honour of Senator Al Zaibak calling Canada home as well.
I wish you the best in retirement, Senator Al Zaibak, and, while I know you will spend a lot of time with your wife and children, I hope that will leave you enough time to maybe come back here and say hello. We will miss you, sir.
Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to our colleague Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak as he retires from the Senate of Canada. While our time working together in this chamber was relatively brief, it has been a distinct pleasure to serve alongside the senator.
Senator Al Zaibak came to this place with a lifetime of real-world experience as an entrepreneur and a business leader, and he brought that practical, grounded perspective directly to our deliberations.
When you look at his background, it is clear he is someone who knows how to get things done. Long before he rejoined us in the Senate, he was a major force in Canada’s tech sector as the co-founder, president and CEO of the Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation. He has been deeply involved in the financing and management of specialized information technology services. He was also one of the principal architects behind Teranet, which completely modernized Ontario’s electronic land registration, a true testament to his rigour, leadership and expertise. But what I respect just as much is how he balanced that sharp business sense with a genuine dedication to his community in Toronto and to the country as a whole.
He spent decades strengthening Canada’s economic and cultural ties globally, especially within the Arab world. Whether it was serving as director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce or chairing the Canada Arab Business Council, he always focused on building bridges and making Canada a stronger place.
The civic contributions in Toronto cover just about everything, from Waterfront Toronto and the Royal Ontario Museum to co‑founding Lifeline Syria to help resettle refugees.
It is a remarkable record of service, and that is exactly why he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals over the years and deserves many more accolades.
Honourable colleagues, our chamber is at its best when we have people who bring that kind of practical experience to the table. Even though we didn’t overlap for a very long time, Senator Al Zaibak always conducted himself with professionalism, a collaborative spirit and complete respect for the institution.
Senator, you are a legend in Toronto and in the Syrian community across Canada. I can tell you that every time I cross the paths of the Syrian Canadians in Montreal whom I represent, they speak of you with complete pride. That speaks volumes, because at the end of the day, we all represent not just Canada but the various components of this country. As the first Canadian senator of Syrian descent, I can say you have served this institution with honour.
Furthermore, over the past few months, I have had the privilege of sitting down with Senator Al Zaibak, breaking bread and having some discussions — not on the issues we agree on, because, as I have said, it is easy to dialogue with those you agree with. What takes, of course, a different approach to life is dialoguing with people you disagree with. The senator and I have had a long dialogue on all the issues we agree on, but particularly on the issues we disagree on. I look forward to continuing that dialogue because that is Canada at its best and how we strengthen our society.
Senator, thank you for your service to Toronto, Ontario, Canada and your community. God bless you, and all the best in your retirement.
Brother Mohammad, honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of the Independent Senators Group to pay tribute to our esteemed colleague the Honourable Mohammad Khair Al Zaibak.
His tenure in this chamber has been defined by the very same principles that have guided his entire life: compassion, nation building, generosity and an unwavering belief in the promise of Canada.
Though his time in the upper house marks the conclusion of his formal political chapter, his legacy as a trailblazing entrepreneur, a champion for diversity and a lifeline for those fleeing tyranny will resonate for generations.
Born in Syria, he arrived in this country with a deep appreciation for the democratic freedoms and opportunities that many take for granted. He brought an extraordinary mind for innovation and engineering, ultimately shaping Ontario’s foundational infrastructure as the co-founder of Teranet Inc.
Within this chamber and across this country, he has been an exemplary advocate for inclusion. As has been highlighted, he helped resettle nearly 1,200 Syrian refugees through Lifeline Syria, turning Canadian compassion into tangible action.
He fiercely championed Bill S-227 to recognize April as Arab Heritage Month, ensuring the rich contributions of Arab Canadians are officially woven into our national fabric.
He brought his vast expertise to community institutions, serving on the boards of the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Metropolitan University and the Canadian Arab Institute.
Whether debating intricate digital policy or sharing his moving reflections on Canada’s role as a global beacon of refuge, Mohammad has always spoken from a place of deep principle. Senator Al Zaibak has masterfully leveraged his rich Syrian-Arab heritage to build enduring diplomatic and cultural bridges between Canada and the Arab world.
Within our Parliament, he uniquely translated this cultural legacy into highly effective international diplomacy. He serves as an executive leader for both the Canada-Saudi Arabia Interparliamentary Group and the Canada-Qatar Parliamentary Friendship Group, reinforcing vital bilateral pathways and parliamentary diplomacy.
He has actively engaged with senior Middle Eastern diplomats and parliamentary counterparts to enhance foreign relations and economic ties through trusted peer-to-peer dialogue.
He leaves this chamber with the same dignity, warmth and intellectual rigour that characterized his first day.
As you transition to this next chapter alongside your family, you leave our country and our chamber stronger, more inclusive and deeply enriched.
Let me finish with a quote from Rumi:
A true friend is like a mirror, reflecting our souls back to us, reminding us of who we truly are.
You leave behind a chamber of admiring friends. Your warm smile, dignity and deep friendship will be sorely missed.
Thank you, brother. Shukran. Mubarak.
Honourable senators, we often measure a parliamentary mandate by the number of years, but the truest measure is the depth of the imprint left behind.
Senator Al Zaibak, your time in this chamber may have been brief, but it was remarkably impactful. You arrived here with the sharp instincts of an entrepreneur, someone who understands that you do not just build projects; you build relationships.
Whether the debate turned to the economy, defence or national security, you never settled for the surface. You always looked for the foundation, asking how we could strengthen our institutions and create the strategic partnerships needed to move Canada forward.
That builder’s mindset naturally guided your work in parliamentary diplomacy, most notably by opening doors and reinforcing vital ties with the Gulf region through dialogue and earned trust.
But perhaps the most enduring bridge you built is Bill S-227. In establishing Arab Heritage Month, you gave Canadians much more than a symbolic milestone. You anchored the vibrant history, culture and profound contributions of Arab Canadians permanently into our national fabric.
It is a legacy that will offer rightful recognition and inspire a deep sense of pride and belonging for generations of Arab Canadians to come.
Senator Al Zaibak, you are, in every sense of the word, a true gentleman. From my very first days in this chamber, your courtesy and warmth were a welcome anchor.
You have been consistently generous with your time, deeply respectful in your exchanges and genuinely attentive to those around you.
You have proven that a short mandate can carry weight when it is driven by a clear purpose and a generous heart.
Thank you, my dear colleague, for your dedicated service, for the bridges you built and for the example you leave behind.
I wish you and your family every happiness in this next chapter.
Thank you.
Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to my brother Senator Mohammad Khair Al Zaibak. If you’re wondering why I call him “brother,” it’s the way that we Muslims address one another to show our bond of faith and to emphasize the equality between us.
There are some colleagues whose presence reminds us why public service matters, and Mohammad is one of those colleagues.
Senator Al Zaibak’s journey to this place is remarkable. Born in Syria, he built a successful career in Canada, and you heard about some of those successes. However, what has always struck me most is what he chose to do with those achievements.
Again and again, he has used his success as a means of lifting others up.
Many Canadians came to know Senator Al Zaibak through his leadership during the Syrian refugee crisis. At a time when thousands of families were searching for safety and hope, he helped transform compassion into action. He reminded us that welcoming newcomers is an act of faith in human potential.
What I admire most about Senator Al Zaibak is the quiet conviction that guides him. I remember recently going to a restaurant that serves Middle Eastern food. The owner came and spoke to me, and when he found out I was a senator, he was so excited and asked me if I knew Senator Al Zaibak.
He went on to tell me about how much you had helped him. I thank you for that.
I thought to myself, that is so typical of Senator Al Zaibak. He has transformed so many lives, and he did so quietly.
He seeks solutions, not attention. He measures success by opportunities created for others, not by recognition received.
During my most recent conversations with Senator Al Zaibak, we talked about the situation in the Middle East. Like all of us, he is heartbroken over what is happening in the region. He expressed his sincere wish for peace, which I echoed too — a peace such as we enjoy here in Canada.
Senator Al Zaibak reminds us that the Canadian story is still being written by people who arrive with hope, work with determination and serve with generosity. His life is a testament to the idea that citizenship is a commitment to contribute, to build and to leave things better than how we found them.
Senator Al Zaibak, I know that you are very proud of your family. I hope that the next chapter of your life will allow you to enjoy more time with them. We, in this chamber, thank them for sharing you with us. We remain mindful that your greatest title is not senator, entrepreneur or community leader, but husband, father, grandfather and family man.
Shukran, brother. You will be missed.
