Debates of the Senate (Hansard)

2nd Session, 40th Parliament,
Volume 146, Issue 18

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker

Tributes

The Honourable Michel Biron, C.M.

Hon. Mobina S.B. Jaffer: I rise today in tribute to my friend and colleague, Honourable Senator Michel Biron, who leaves this place after eight years of dedicated service to the province of Quebec and the country as a whole.

Senator Biron came to the Senate in 2001. That year, he was also awarded the Order of Canada for his contributions to the economic fabric, and community and cultural development of his region. That was a high point in his career and he was noted then as a “dynamic and visionary individual.”

Senator Biron arrived in the Senate as an energetic telecommunications entrepreneur and savvy businessman, ready to offer his knowledge and work ethics to improve public policy in the areas of banking, trade, commerce and national finance. Honourable senators, I believe he has contributed to these areas.

At the induction ceremony into the Order of Canada, Senator Biron was noted for being a devoted and generous citizen by the Governor General. He has served this place with this noted sense of compassion; he extended kindness to all in his capacity as a senator.

Honourable senators, these humanitarian traits were evident with the introduction of his private member’s legislation in 2005, aimed at protecting Registered Retirement Savings Plans, RRSPs, and Registered Education Savings Plans, RESPs, for the bankrupt and insolvent. He called this type of protection for the small business owner part of our “collective responsibility” and, during this time of economic downturn, it was an initiative that I am certain many would have found comforting.

On a personal note, my friend, I will miss not having you sit here next to me and, most of all, I will miss sharing French books with you and having you explain to me the different meanings of French words. I will miss you. I want to take this opportunity to thank Senator Biron for his service to the Senate.