DEBATES OF THE SENATE 1st SESSION • 43rd PARLIAMENT • VOLUME 151 • NUMBER 14 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, March 10, 2020 The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker This issue contains the latest listing of Senators, Officers of the Senate and the Ministry. CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates Services: D’Arcy McPherson, National Press Building, Room 906, Tel. 613-995-5756 Publications Centre: Kim Laughren, National Press Building, Room 926, Tel. 343-550-5002 Published by the Senate Available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 356 THE SENATE Tuesday, March 10, 2020 The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. did not seek it. I was struck by the comment of David Lepofsky, the Chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Prayers. Alliance, who on hearing of David’s passing said: Rest in peace David Smith, with our undying gratitude for THE LATE HONOURABLE DAVID P. SMITH, P.C., Q.C. what you have done for everyone in Canada for generations to come. TRIBUTES Honourable senators, Canada has lost a lifelong dedicated public servant, his community lost a passionate voice and many of us here have lost a friend. On behalf of the progressive Senate The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I received a group and his former Liberal colleagues, my thoughts are with notice from the Leader of the Opposition who requests, pursuant his wife, Heather, and his family during this difficult time. to rule 4-3(1), that the time provided for the consideration of Senators’ Statements be extended today for the purpose of paying Honourable senators, I have a picture in my mind of David tribute to the Honourable David P. Smith, former senator, whose sitting down behind the pearly gates with a new audience to death occurred on February 26, 2020. listen and saying, “Did I ever tell you the story about?” I remind senators that pursuant to our rules, each senator will Thank you, honourable senators. be allowed only 3 minutes and they may speak only once and the time for Tributes shall not exceed 15 minutes. Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I rise today to say a Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): few words about our former colleague Senator David Smith. A Honourable senators, I also rise today to remember our former stalwart of the Liberal family, a dedicated public servant and, as colleague Senator David Smith who represented Ontario in the he often referred to himself, the son of a preacher and, of course, Senate of Canada for almost 14 years. As many have said since a friend to so many here in the Senate. Always with a smile, he passed away last month, Senator Smith was the ultimate David was good for a story or two. I heard many of those stories “happy warrior.” His father was a Pentecostal preacher, and his over many late evenings here in the chamber and when Liberal two brothers followed in their father’s footsteps to serve as senators would gather in his office for camaraderie during the evangelical preachers as well. Obviously, Senator Smith didn’t bells for votes. It is those memories that will always stay with join their line of work and took his own path to public service, me. but I believe his faith was the basis for his joyful spirit, compassion and generosity. For all these qualities and more, his Senator Smith was full of stories about a lifetime spent in former colleagues on all sides of this chamber are saddened by politics, from the campaign trail and from political adversaries his recent passing. and friends. But honourable senators, it is his compassion for disadvantaged Canadians that I want to speak about today. What • (1410) many don’t know is that David Smith played a major role in the inclusion for the equality of persons with disabilities in Canada’s Senator Smith was a proud Liberal, and even when the leader Charter of Rights. As a new Liberal MP in 1980, David was of his party removed him and his Senate colleagues from caucus, appointed as chair of an all-party parliamentary committee to he remained loyal to the party he had supported and served his hold public hearings on disability issues as the UN had declared entire adult life. He understood the Liberal Party of Canada 1981 to be the International Year of Disabled Persons. inside and out, from his school days as president of the Carleton University Young Liberals, to his years in the trenches organizing with Keith Davey, eventually serving as a member of What became clear to David, as chair of this committee, was Parliament for Don Valley East and Minister of State for Small the importance of amending the Charter of Rights to include Business and Tourism, campaign chair for Jean Chrétien’s three those with disabilities. He took it upon himself to approach federal election victories and ultimately, of course, as a senator. members of Parliament from all political stripes in the other place to press the importance of including those with disabilities Senator Smith once said in our Centre Block chamber: in the Charter of Rights. Many of us remember how persuasive, persistent and charming that David could be. His efforts paid off. I often equate political instinct to an ear for music: One has to be born with it; if one is not born with an ear for music, On January 28, 1981, another committee that was considering one can go to a thousand concerts and still be out of tune. the new Charter of Rights unanimously voted to amend the proposed Charter to entrench equality for people with disabilities He had that political instinct in spades, and he recognized it as a constitutional right. This was an incredible achievement and and appreciated it in others, even if they didn’t share his party one that Senator Smith deserves recognition for, even though he affiliation. As an advocate here at home for the rights of March 10, 2020 SENATE DEBATES 357 Canadians with disabilities as well as for basic human rights for Alex, Kate and Laura, please accept our deepest condolences. the people of Iran, he also understood the importance of being a Your dad always wanted to leave politics in a better place than voice for those who don’t often have one. when he found it — for you and his grandchildren. Rest assured, he did just that. Senator Smith took his leave from the Senate of Canada less than four years ago. It is heartbreaking that he was not able to Senator Smith, you served the Liberal Party and Canadians enjoy as long a retirement as he had surely earned after a lifetime with all your heart. You will be missed, and your contributions to in politics. His wife, Heather, had just retired as Chief Justice of Canada will not soon be forgotten. On behalf of the independent Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice last summer. senators, rest now in peace, my friend. On behalf of the entire Conservative caucus and indeed all Hon. Senators: Hear, hear. honourable senators, I extend sincere condolences to Heather, their three children and five granddaughters. May they find comfort in knowing how greatly he was admired and respected Hon. Scott Tannas: Honourable senators, I want to add a few by all who knew him. words of tribute to our friend, the Honourable David Smith, particularly on behalf of Senator D. Black, his longtime law Senator Smith would address me on a regular basis as “Brother partner. Senator D. Black is not with us this week. Plett” when we met, and I think it was because of our joint faith. In closing, I want to say: Brother Smith, rest in peace. For decades, David Smith was a fixture in the Canadian legal community and the political life of the country. He was a Hon. Senators: Hear, hear. passionate Canadian and Torontonian and served as president of the Young Liberals under Prime Minister Pearson in the 1960s, a Toronto alderman and deputy mayor in the 1970s, an MP and Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, I rise today cabinet minister in the 1980s, a leader of the successful Liberal to pay tribute to our dear friend and former colleague the late Party campaigns in the 1990s and 2000s and as a senator here. Senator David Smith. I knew Senator Smith for over 30 years. To That is how most of us got to know him. me, he was Mr. Liberal. In his youth, he served as president of the Young Liberals of Canada. He then continued his service as a member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Prime Minister He was a specialist in municipal law. He helped forge the Trudeau in the 1980s. Finally, he ran several successful Liberal skyline of Toronto. He served as the chair of FMC, now Dentons Party campaigns under Prime Minister Chrétien in the 1990s and Canada, tying together the largest national law firm capable of 2000. serving diverse clients in both languages. He continued as Chair Emeritus of Dentons until he retired from that role in 2017. Senator Smith believed in the values of the Liberal Party, and he implemented them. Having known Senator Smith for years, I He had a life punctuated with great achievements, but David’s have many stories I could share. proudest accomplishment was the success of his family and especially his wife of 50 years, retired Chief Justice Heather One that stands out in my mind is when Senator Smith and Smith, their three children and five grandchildren.