Colleagues, it is my pleasure to rise today to pay tribute to a fellow Manitoban and a remarkable senator, Maria Chaput. I met Madam Chaput for the first time when I was appointed to the Senate seven years ago. Before that, I had only known her by reputation as an outstanding advocate for the improvement of francophone life in Manitoba, specifically in the school divisions and the Francophonie financial sector.

Senator Chaput comes from a small French community about the same size as the Mennonite community I was raised in and only about nine miles from where I grew up. While my relationship with Senator Chaput did not begin until I came to the Senate, my relationship with her family began many years prior. In fact, her brother André and I campaigned together extensively for the Conservatives.

Senator Cowan: Every family's got a black sheep.

Senator Plett: And I largely fault her brother Maurice for the many aches and pains I have in my back and neck from the days we played hockey against each other. Later in life, we put our hockey rivalry aside and the three of us curled together on the same curling team in the town of Ste. Anne.

Senator Chaput's appointment to the Senate clearly exemplifies how merit-based appointments under our current system truly are appropriate.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Senator Plett: Her achievements in supporting the French- speaking community in Manitoba, and indeed in Canada, are unmatched. Senator Chaput has many talents. Some, however, are not as well known as others. How many senators in this chamber know that she is able to analyze handwriting? Yes, it's true. She is able to detect a person's traits simply by reviewing their handwriting.

Some Hon. Senators: Oh, oh.

Senator Plett: I am happy that any written communication that I have had with Senator Chaput has been by email.

We in the Senate all know Senator Chaput as an elegant woman, with a lovely smile and never a hair out of place. However, she and I come from the same type of community and stories are passed around. As is tradition in southeastern Manitoba, many of us head across the border to Grand Forks for some rest and relaxation. As the story goes, on one of these trips a few years ago Senator Chaput spent the afternoon in a hair salon having her hair done. As expected, she looked lovely. I don't know what they were serving in the salon, but on her way to show off her new hairdo to her friends, she slipped and fell into the swimming pool at the hotel. Lesson learned: Don't have your hair done until after you've gone swimming.

Last week, Senator Mercer said he considered Senator Chaput a student of his, one that he was trying to coach in the ancient art of heckling. While I am sad that Senator Chaput's journey in the Senate is cut short, the silver lining is that Senator Mercer's influence will not be able to rub off on her any longer. However, we all know that Senator Chaput has far too much class and grace to ever become a menacing heckler.

I am disappointed that our time together in the Senate could not have been longer. However, as a colleague and friend I would like to thank Senator Chaput for the grace and sincerity with which she approached her work in the Senate. As a Manitoban, I want to thank her for all she did for the community. I'm sure she will continue to advance the cause of official language minority communities in Canada.

I wish Senator Chaput, Louis and their family all the best as they embark on this next chapter in their lives. I sincerely hope that, through our work, we will cross paths many times in the future. Thank you.