Speaker of the Senate
Welcoming remarks at the Senate of Canada Building Handover
Minister Qualtrough, Honourable Senators, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
I will have to get used to saying this, so I may as well start now: Welcome to the Senate of Canada Building.
As Speaker of the Senate, it is a real honour to be with you today for this very special occasion. This is indeed a remarkable moment.
To gather here in this monumental hall—where, at one time, travelers from across the country hurried through upon entering our nation’s capital—and to know, that very soon, senators from regions across Canada will come here to debate future issues that will no doubt face our great country.
I would like to begin by thanking Minister Qualtrough and her team at Public Services and Procurement Canada, including Deputy Minister Marie Lemay, Assistant Deputy Minister Rob Wright and everyone at the Parliamentary Precinct Branch.
A rehabilitation project of this scale is no small undertaking.
It is the culmination of an extensive collaboration between multiple partners and various industries.
It has required a great deal of meticulous planning, attention to detail and hard work.
I want to express my appreciation to my Senate colleagues: Senator Tannas, Senator Saint-Germain and all members of the Long Term Vision and Plan Subcommittee including Senators Plett, Joyal, Forest, Bovey, Munson, and Dean.
I also wish to pay tribute to the dedicated staff of the Senate Administration led by Richard Denis and Pascale Legault, who for the past several years have worked closely with Public Services and Procurement Canada to restore this beautiful building—all the while ensuring that it meets the needs of a modern Senate.
I do not have time to name all those involved, but I would like to thank in particular our Acting Director General of the Property and Services Directorate, Caroline Morency.
We appreciate your efforts and salute the hard work done by your team at the Senate.
Finally, we are grateful to the team of architects, construction workers, conservation experts, engineers, designers, and skilled tradespeople who have contributed to its completion.
I commend you for your efforts to preserve our parliamentary buildings so that they can be enjoyed by future generations of Canadians.
While there remains some work and dry runs to be completed over the winter adjournment, I cannot help but marvel at how far we have come in such a short amount of time.
I thank all involved for your vision, your leadership and your active participation in this historic transformation.
For our Chamber to move into a former train station is both deeply symbolic and perfectly fitting.
When the Fathers of Confederation negotiated the terms for Canada’s creation, no two ideas were as instrumental in securing the deal as the Senate and the railroads.
The Senate was created to ensure Canada’s regions and minorities were represented in Parliament.
And the commitment to build a transcontinental railway offered the provinces the security and economic growth needed to join the great Canadian experiment.
This building, however, has served as more than a train station.
As the Centennial Visitors Centre, the building was a hub for tourists during Canada’s 100th anniversary.
As the Government Conference Centre, it was a stately setting for landmark conferences, including the negotiations leading to the Patriation of our Constitution.
As it prepares to once again host important deliberations, we look forward to occupying a modern facility that reflects the history of our institution, and our country.
I am glad that Canadians will be able to see for themselves in this new Chamber, when Senate proceedings will be video broadcast.
Much like the Centre Block, the Senate of Canada Building will soon welcome parliamentarians, distinguished guests, and visitors from around the world.
Within these walls, we will continue to debate issues reflecting the challenges of our time.
We will continue to serve as a Chamber of ideas and legislative review, a bold voice for the regions and linguistic and cultural minorities, and a forward-looking institution with the interests of future generations in mind.
Today marks a new and exciting chapter for the Upper Chamber.
And I know all senators are looking forward to serving Canadians in the Senate of Canada Building.
Thank you.
