Honourable senators, we’re finally here, and, in my humble opinion, I’m happy to leave 2023 in the rear-view mirror, log it into the history books and get out of Dodge, as they say in the westerns. I’m dating myself.

The end of the year is often a time for reflection. This year, we sadly bid farewell to a number of our colleagues, but we have also welcomed many new faces to the institution. Their breadth of experience is a valuable asset, and I look forward to working with each and every one of them.

Our deliberations were not always easy. Reaching the finish line was sometimes in doubt, but with conversation, a little bit of arm-twisting, an occasional dram or two and, most importantly, goodwill and a desire that we all share to serve Canadians, we got where we needed to be.

In a Westminster parliamentary system such as ours, where various points of view are always represented — and properly so — we all must put a bit of water in our wine from time to time. I want to thank my leadership colleagues — Senator Saint‑Germain, Senator Plett, Senator Cordy and Senator Tannas — for watering down their favourite libations, when necessary, so that our work for Canadians could get done.

Raymonde, Don, Jane and Scott, it’s a real pleasure working with you, and I appreciate your collaboration.

None of what we do would be possible without our wonderful staff, those who research, write, advise, organize our days and point us in the right direction. I would be lost in the Office of the Government Representative without those who take their work and responsibilities very seriously, and who work at all hours of the night or very early in the morning.

Everyone in this place understands the value of our staff, and we should be taking more than this once-a-year opportunity to express our appreciation, as I know that you do, and I hope that our staff knows that we do as well.

I also want to thank my colleagues Senator LaBoucane-Benson and Senator Audette and, until her appointment as our Speaker, Senator Gagné, without whom I would simply be lost. There’s no better way to put it. You were always there to keep our priorities straight, to pick up the pieces when you needed to and to give me a boost when I needed it, and give me a shot when I needed it too. We were each other’s sounding boards and cheerleaders, and, whatever we accomplished, we did it together. Thank you.

To our former Speaker, George Furey, and to our newest Speaker, Senator Gagné, thank you for keeping us on track and for appealing to our better angels.

Many thanks to our Clerk, table officers, pages, Parliamentary Protective Service officers, committee clerks, interpreters, cafeteria staff and maintenance personnel. So many people help us do our work for Canadians, and it is much appreciated. Many thanks.

On a personal note, let me thank my wife, Nancy, who has been by my side for these last seven years. I remember very well the day I was sworn in, and how Speaker Furey reminded us all of the toll that this takes on our partners and our spouses. To my wife, Nancy, and to all of your partners and spouses, thank you for your support.

To colleagues, these last few months have been dark days for my community, and you have been so supportive and helpful. It is hugely important and appreciated.

This is the season of goodwill, and whether you celebrate in a church, in a mosque, in a synagogue, in a temple or around your family table, from me to you, may you be blessed with health and happiness. And, please, may 2024 bring peace to all and to this world.

Happy holidays.

Honourable senators, like all of you, I am also happy that this will be my last speech of the year. I do have unlimited time.

Colleagues, it’s been an unusually difficult end of the session. Senator Gold already alluded, at least partly, to that. But here we are, going into the most festive season of the year where we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus and our Saviour.

Prior to my sharing my best wishes for the season, I want to take time today to reflect a little bit on those less fortunate.

As reported many times, there is a troubling increase in the need of support from food banks, combined with an alarming increase in homelessness in our country. As we celebrate Christmas in our homes, with our turkey dinners, let’s remember that more and more Canadians are struggling.

Furthermore, we have lost a number of colleagues, and many of our colleagues have lost loved ones in the last year. The holiday season is always the most difficult time for those people.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helps make this place run. I want to thank all the individuals who keep us safe, from the Senate security team to the Parliamentary Protective Service to the Office of the Usher of the Black Rod. You treat us well and, so often, beyond what we deserve. For that, we are grateful.

I’m always amazed by the professionalism that our pages show us. Thank you for your service.

I’m also grateful to the clerks, the table officers and Senate client services, as well as the maintenance, operations and administrative staff. Your collaboration and dedicated work does not go unnoticed. Thank you.

Thank you to some of those who kept me out far too late last night. I hope you have a headache this morning.

A very special thank you to my own staff. You go way above and beyond expectations. Thank you.

To my caucus and my leadership, the support you have shown is appreciated, and we don’t mention it often enough. Thank you for your support.

Thank you to our Speaker and our Speaker pro tempore. Your Honour, thank you for your professionalism. We have not always made your first year the easiest, but you have handled the situations well. We appreciate that. We appreciate your impartiality and the work that you do. I commit myself, at least, to trying to make your life a little easier. If I don’t, you can chastise me on the airplane ride home. We share that many times. It’s indeed a pleasure to work with you.

To the Senate leaders — Senator Gold, Senator Saint-Germain, Senator Tannas and Senator Cordy — we don’t always agree, but we actually have good leadership meetings, and I enjoy them.

As we look forward to next year, I want to commit myself, at least, to starting over and to possibly turning over a new leaf. I assure you it will not always be easy. I also want to be careful that I don’t go too far with turning that leaf, because I will remain what I always have been: a dedicated, passionate and strong believer in what we do and what our party does. At the same time, I want to respect what others do.

Colleagues, I wish you all a wonderful holiday. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Be safe.

I look forward to seeing you again. I know the adjournment motion hasn’t come yet, but it better be February 6, and I look forward to that.

Thank you very much, colleagues.

Your Honour and honourable senators, I want to thank you. I know that you are all here because you want to listen to my end-of-the-year speech. It’s much appreciated. Thank you.

Colleagues, I will be brief, you’ll see. After these long, full weeks, I certainly don’t want to delay the moment when we reunite with our families and loved ones to spend a well-deserved holiday season with them.

I’d like to thank those who ensure that the Senate of Canada runs smoothly. My colleagues Senator Gold and Senator Plett did so in great detail. I thank each and every one of you. To the staff members in senators’ offices and the Senate Administration, you also deserve this break. You’re essential to the smooth operation of Parliament’s upper chamber. I wish you very happy holidays.

Colleagues, we have spent long hours together over the last few weeks. The climate was sometimes good-natured and sometimes more tense. Despite tensions, disagreements and conflicting perspectives, we must never forget that it is a privilege to be here, working together for the benefit of all Canadians, never mind our caucus or group affiliation.

I give special thanks to my colleagues Bernadette Clement, Chantal Petitclerc and David Arnot, who are so dedicated to supporting our Independent Senators Group, or ISG, colleagues and working constructively alongside their counterparts in all other groups and caucuses. All my appreciation and thanks to my ISG colleagues for their great service and dedication to this institution.

During the upcoming weeks when we will be far apart, I know we will miss each other, but that will only give us a good reason to be eager to come back in 2024. In the name of all members of the Independent Senators Group, all the best for this well‑deserved holiday period. Come back rested and ready. We have a lot of work still ahead for us in 2024. Thank you. Meegwetch.

Honourable senators, as we wrap up another year, I join my fellow leaders in expressing my good wishes for the holiday season. For the Senate and for Canadians, 2023 has been an interesting year. Let me highlight a few items: Canada officially crowned its new king. We held high hopes for the Canadian women’s soccer team at the World Cup. Canadians flocked to the movies to see Barbie and Oppenheimer. Who would have believed that we would be mentioning those two names in the same sentence?

Most Canadians would never have believed that the Senate would have been at the centre of a policy review of the internet. We heard Senators use words like “YouTuber,” “content creators,” “algorithms,” “analytics” and “online communities.” The Senate took on Bill C-11 and Bill C-18 and never looked back. Whether or not you agree with the legislation, the Senate did its job very well in studying, reviewing and debating those proposed bills.

Our committees also did themselves proud with some outstanding studies on racism, our Foreign Service, suicide prevention and Indigenous communities. This is a testament and, hopefully, a return to more of that good work we do in committees on behalf of Canadians.

Over the last year, we saw some new faces arrive here and some not-so-new faces depart. We still mourn the loss of our colleague Senator Shugart.

We saw the departure of our Speaker George Furey; however, just like when winter turns to spring, a parting brings an arrival, and we welcomed our new Speaker, Raymonde Gagné, to the big chair.

In our Canadian Senators Group, or CSG, family, we welcomed some new members and experienced change in our leadership team. Personally, I am pleased to work alongside Senator Rebecca Patterson, who is affectionately referred to as “P2,” but only until December 30. I am also appreciative for working with Senator Percy Downe and Senator Gigi Osler and Senator Stephen Greene. I would like to thank “P1,” — Senator Dennis Patterson — and Senator Rob Black for their contribution as past members of our leadership. I offer my best wishes to my fellow leaders. At times, our meetings have been quite tense, but it is a sign of the level of commitment that each of us has to our roles. We all have jobs to do. We are accountable to our groups, but without the willingness to listen, care and at times compromise, we could not fulfill our duties on behalf of Canadians.

On a personal note, the last few weeks have been difficult for me. I have appreciated your cards, letters and kind words of encouragement. I, like so many others, had the opportunity to feel support and great warmth from you in these times. It has shown me that regardless of our political differences, the Senate is indeed a family. We do care for one another — some may say it is a dysfunctional family from time to time, but it is a family nonetheless. I wish all of you the best for a peaceful, happy and restful time with your families.

Finally, I express my sincere best wishes to all staff in the Senate Administration, in senators’ offices, in security, in broadcasting and interpretation, those who support us in the chamber and committees and all others who help us do our work here. On behalf of all of us in the Canadian Senators Group, Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Honourable senators, since it is almost time for the winter break, I’d like to take this opportunity to offer my best wishes and sincere thanks to all senators, their staff and the great team at the Senate of Canada who support our work.

Within this institution, dedicated staff work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, as many of you have already mentioned. The goal of their quiet, unassuming work is always to make it easier for us to do our job and fulfill our mandate to serve Canadians.

I know that senators will agree with me when I say how much we appreciate and value the remarkable staff of the Senate in every office and across every directorate and, of course, our great Senate family, which includes all our parliamentary partners.

Thank you for your adaptability, devotion to our work and the unparalleled professionalism you demonstrate on every occasion. I am very proud of the work we accomplish together. I thank you most sincerely for your continued dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment to achieving excellence.

I wish you all happy holidays and a new year filled with joy, health and happiness.

I wish you happy holidays and a new year filled with joy, health and happiness. I also want to echo what our colleague Senator Dupuis said, and that is to please breathe.

Thank you.

Thank you, meegwetch.

The Senate has completed business for the day.

Pursuant to rule 16-1(5)(a), the sitting will be suspended until 3:15 p.m. The bells will start ringing at 3 p.m.

Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, that the Senate do now adjourn during pleasure to await the arrival of His Excellency the Deputy of the Governor General?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(The sitting of the Senate was suspended.)