1st Session, 42nd Parliament,
Volume 150, Issue 46
Thursday, June 9, 2016
The Honourable George J. Furey, Speaker
The Late Honourable Rod A. A. Zimmer
Tribute
Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, I rise today to honour our friend and colleague Senator Rod Zimmer. Senator Zimmer was born and raised in Kuroki, Saskatchewan, and completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1973. Senator Zimmer began his career in politics at the ripe age of 26 when in 1968 he began to serve as the assistant to Honourable Cyril MacDonald, then-Liberal Minister of Welfare in Saskatchewan. From 1972 to 1979 Senator Zimmer served as assistant to the Honourable James Richardson, federal Minister of National Defence.
Senator Zimmer also had a very successful private sector career. He served as Vice-President of Corporate Communications for CanWest Capital Corporation from 1979 to 1983, and from 1985 to 1993 he served as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Manitoba Lotteries Foundation.
I had the great pleasure of working with Senator Zimmer when I was the Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Canada and as President of the Liberal Women’s Commission. I always found Senator Zimmer to have tremendous energy and enthusiasm toward the Liberal Party causes.
Besides being a lifelong Liberal, Senator Zimmer was always ready to voice his opinion on the rights of Manitobans and the issues they faced. He was always the first to raise the issues wherever he went.
On August 2, 2005, Senator Zimmer realized his lifelong dream of being appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Paul Martin. I had the distinct personal privilege of working with Senator Zimmer on the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights from 2011 to 2013. Senator Zimmer always attended the meetings on Monday and always stayed longer to assure me that he supported the work of the Human Rights Committee.
On behalf of all of us assembled here today, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to Senator Zimmer’s family and to express our heartfelt gratitude for Senator Zimmer’s service to Canada. Now rest in peace, my friend, next to your father in Saskatchewan. Thank you.