DEBATES OF THE SENATE 1st SESSION • 42nd PARLIAMENT • VOLUME 150 • NUMBER 163 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, November 29, 2017 The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker 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. 613-947-0609 Published by the Senate Available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 4261 THE SENATE Wednesday, November 29, 2017 The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. make a better life for himself and his family in Canada. With that in mind, he worked tirelessly to ensure this same opportunity was Prayers. afforded to many deserving immigrants who now also call Canada home. He also used his time as a senator to draw attention to some of the most overlooked people in our society, SENATORS’ STATEMENTS including caregivers and people with disabilities. VISITORS IN THE GALLERY Before being named to this place in 2012, upon the recommendation of our former Prime Minister the Right The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw Honourable Stephen Harper, Tobias Enverga was already a your attention to the presence in the gallery of family members of trailblazer with a history of public service. In 2008, he founded our late colleague Senator Enverga: his wife Mrs. Rosemer the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation, to assist various A. Enverga and daughters Rystle, Rocel and Reeza, accompanied community charitable needs. In 2010, he became the first by other members of their extended family. Filipino-Canadian elected to public office in the city of Toronto, as a trustee of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. He On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the was also the very first visible minority to be elected to this board. Senate of Canada. For all these reasons and more, Filipino-Canadians all over our Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! country loved “Senator Jun,” as they affectionately called him, but he was especially loved by those in the Greater Toronto Area, where he made his home. TRIBUTES THE LATE HONOURABLE TOBIAS C. ENVERGA, JR. Our thoughts today are with Senator Enverga’s family, especially his wife Rosemer and their three daughters, Rystle, The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I received a Rocel and Reeza, who will miss him more than I could ever notice from the Leader of the Opposition who requests, pursuant adequately express. Tobias and Rosemer were truly a team, to rule 4-3(1), that the time provided for the consideration of devoted to one another. It is my hope that their deep Christian Senators’ Statements be extended today for the purpose of paying faith will sustain his family in the days ahead. tribute to the Honourable Tobias C. Enverga, Jr., whose death occurred on November 16, 2017. On behalf of all Conservative senators, and all senators in this house, I extend sincere condolences to Senator Enverga’s family, Hon. Larry W. Smith (Leader of the Opposition): friends and staff. I want them to know that we feel their loss, too, Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to one of our and will miss him greatly. own, a colleague who left us much too soon, the Honourable Tobias C. Enverga, Jr., who passed away on November 16 of this Hon. Peter Harder (Government Representative in the year. Senate): Honourable senators, it is with a very heavy heart that I [Translation] rise today to pay tribute to our late colleague Senator Enverga. It is tragic for a life to be cut so short, especially when it is a life of During his five years in the Senate, our colleague was an devotion and service to family, to community and to country. active, engaged and enthusiastic participant in the chamber and in committee. He brought joy and good humour to his work. [Translation] Senator Enverga was a warm and friendly man, and we all feel his loss keenly. Senator Enverga was a man of deep faith, a man who lived his faith. He was always kind and courteous. He listened to people. [English] He helped them. At his funeral mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica in Toronto, parish priest and good friend Father Ben Ebcas said of [English] Senator Enverga that he lived a life filled with love and a sense of mission — a very kind, caring, down-to-earth person — and He was a proud Filipino and a proud Canadian and, as Senator he said Filipinos are eternally grateful that Senator Enverga did Smith has noted, a man of many firsts: the first Filipino-Canadian his best to fill the world with love. elected to public office in the city of Toronto and the first Filipino-born senator in Canada. As his colleagues, however, we Senator Enverga was very proud to be the first Filipino- have the privilege of knowing that, for Senator Enverga, his Canadian senator. He used his position as a senator to advocate priority was not so much to be the first to achieve these positions for our multicultural communities. As a Filipino immigrant, but to break down the barriers for others so that he would not be Senator Enverga cherished the opportunity that he was given to the last in these positions. 4262 SENATE DEBATES November 29, 2017 [Translation] him to this chamber. He has set an example for us and for all those who knew him to also be tirelessly and passionately A generous man, he was dedicated to many good causes. committed to the callings in our own lives. [English] I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Independent Senators Group and all senators to send my deepest As noted, he founded the Philippine Canadian Charitable condolences to his wife, Rosemer, his daughters, Rystle, Rocel Foundation with his wife, and he helped to relieve poverty in and Reeza, and other family members who have travelled from developing countries and to provide disaster relief and, here in far and wide to be with us in the chamber this afternoon. We Canada, to provide support services for immigrants and refugees thank you for sharing Tobias with us, albeit briefly, and we in need. pledge to uphold the memory of his good works. With his strong voice, which often filled this chamber, he Hon. Senators: Hear, hear. advocated on behalf of people whose voices were too soft or went unheard — people with disabilities, children, the most vulnerable in our communities. Hon. Joseph A. Day (Leader of the Senate Liberals): Honourable senators, I would also like to join others here today • (1410) to express my sadness at the sudden death of our colleague, the Honourable Tobias Enverga, Jr. During Question Period, there was no issue too small, including peas and pulses, or too large, including large rubber Senator Enverga had been with us here for just five years, but ducks and cardboard cutouts, that escaped Senator Enverga’s in his life he displayed a long-lasting commitment to public scrutiny. service. He worked hard and lent his voice to a number of worthy causes. He was a strong advocate for persons with disabilities, He was a relentless presence in the Senate to hold the and he has been described repeatedly as a happy warrior, always government to account for the benefit of Canadians, from farmers maintaining a cheerful demeanour even while arguing and small-business owners to immigrants and public servants, passionately for or against a particular issue. and for that we are all grateful. He loved this country of Canada, and that love saw him [Translation] introduce a motion to sing our national anthem together on Tuesdays at the start of our sessions. He was devoted to his family and so proud of his daughters. Recently he travelled to Manila on my behalf as co-chair of [English] Canada-China Legislative Association to participate in the 38th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary General Assembly. I know that On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish to extend my he was well received and fulfilled his role as delegate from deepest condolences to his family and hope that they find Canada with distinction. Many of those who met him there have comfort knowing that his lifetime of achievement has made expressed to us their sadness at his loss. Canada a better place. Senator Tobias Enverga was fiercely proud of his Filipino Hon. Senators: Hear, hear. heritage, and his brethren were fiercely proud of him. Shortly after his appointment to the Senate, he travelled to my home Hon. Yuen Pau Woo: Honourable senators, I join you today province of New Brunswick to participate in the Asian Heritage in remembrance of our friend and colleague, Tobias Enverga, Jr. Cultural Gala in Saint John. I was also in attendance, and I was He left us too soon but did so with a lifetime of achievements struck by the countless numbers of Filipino community members crammed into a mere 61 years. Beloved by those who knew him in attendance. well, he is mourned by scores of family members, friends and associates across this country and in his native Philippines. They had travelled from across the province to meet with him A devout Catholic, he was a man of faith and works. Senator and hear him speak. The Filipino Association of New Brunswick Enverga championed religious education as well as poverty still displays a message from him and a photo from that past visit eradication and disaster relief. He was a proud member of the on the front page of their website.