Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Honourable senators, our colleague Diane is turning 75 on Saturday. In Quebec, we often celebrate birthdays by singing, so I thought about giving my speech in song, like when Senator Jean Lapointe left the Senate.

Then I remembered what Sister Florida told me when I was in grade four: “You, the tall boy in the back row, just mouth along.”

With that in mind, I will just sing a few words: “Happy birthday, dear Diane, happy birthday to you.”

I know that there’s a lot of love for you here in this chamber. Throughout your time here, certain characteristics have become your hallmark. First of all, you’re very independent minded, which meant that you always took a stand based on what you thought, not based on the party or group line.

Second, you’re a hard worker. A lot of careful preparation went into your speeches in the Senate and your outside projects, one of which just successfully resulted in a new reform at the Bank of Canada.

Third, you have a sincere desire to bring people together and build consensus, rather than provoke confrontation. Reaching out to others is how you approach everything, and your bills were no exception.

You enthusiastically embraced the Senate reform project and agreed to be an active participant in the Government Representative’s office, the Independent Senators Group and the Progressive Senate Group. The independent senators of the Progressive Senate Group willingly chose you to chair the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament and to work with others to reform the Rules just this past spring. You certainly played an important role in getting the most recent changes adopted as part of the ongoing Senate reform.

You also worked to break the duopoly present in our chamber until 2015. As you said last April, you wanted to create a group of independent senators modelled on the 184 cross-benchers who sit in the House of Lords alongside the groups associated with Britain’s three main political parties. You said you even talked about it with Brian Mulroney, who told you it was a good idea but recommended waiting until the Harper government left office.

Dear Diane, I wish you a happy retirement with your beloved Victor, who’s here with us today, and the rest of your beautiful family, whom I’ve met a few times. Also, over the next few weeks, you’ll be able to catch up on all the Game of Thrones episodes you missed.

Today our colleagues are losing a renowned economist, but I know that I will continue to see a friend from my neck of the woods.

Thank you, and congratulations, Diane.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!