Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Honourable senators, today I rise to honour Senator Marilou McPhedran and to thank her for her untiring advocacy around gender issues and youth leadership.

Her leadership has reshaped how I think about youth, responsibility and democratic inclusion in Canada. Senator McPhedran has always understood that young people are not simply preparing for the future. They are living it, shaping it and carrying responsibilities that are invisible to many adults.

Her work on this issue has been grounded in listening to youth themselves. She has insisted that their lived experiences, their clarity and their moral courage deserve a place in our democratic processes. Nowhere is that clearer than in the voices of young people like my oldest grandson, Damon Roker, who is 16 years old.

In Damon’s words:

At 16, I can quit school if I want to, I can get a driver’s license, I can take charge of my own health care, I can work and pay taxes. Given this high level of responsibility, I think that I should be able to vote. I would like to have a say with regards to our political representatives and feel that our views would be taken more seriously if we had voting rights.

Damon’s words reflect the real, everyday responsibilities that young people carry. They are already contributing to our communities, our economy and public conversations on big issues of the day such as climate, justice, technology, AI and equity.

Senator McPhedran’s advocacy has opened the door for young people to be seen as valuable citizens with insight, agency and a stake in every decision we make in this chamber. She has helped shift the national conversation toward a more inclusive and intergenerational democracy.

Senator McPhedran, I have valued your friendship and support, and I will miss your very unique sense of humour, especially when I find myself thinking about Marilou’s analysis of joy and happiness. I wish you the very best in your next chapter.

Thank you, asante.