SPEECH: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Master Agreement for the Sponsorship of Refugees

Honourable senators, I too rise to add my voice to others who are celebrating a made-in-Canada idea developed four decades ago. In fact, it is such a good idea with such long legs, that it is sprinting across the globe and taking Canada’s reputation to a new high because it engages not just institutions and governments, but ordinary people who want to do more than write a cheque in the face of a global displacement crisis.

From this wonderful initiative three narratives have emerged. First is the narrative of the refugees who are forced to uproot their families, homes and livelihoods to flee violence and persecution. Their paths to resettlement requires their patience, hard work and a great deal of humility. These are and will be strong new Canadians.

Second is the narrative of the private sponsors, from faith groups to book clubs to mom and tots groups to business associations. Their efforts propel refugees to resettlement and equip them to integrate faster and better into Canadian society. As an example, in the working class Syrian family of 12 that I sponsored three years ago, the principal member is in the construction trades and has a job. He is very close to making a down payment on a house in Brampton and, most gloriously of all, will be very soon taking out their application for Canadian citizenship.

Finally, there is the often overlooked narrative of the public servant. We know public servants went beyond and will continue to go beyond the call of duty to get refugees to safety. The notion of the public servant as a public hero is not a common thread in Canada. It is thanks to them, the refugees and their sponsors, that we stand today to celebrate this modern day nation-building success story. Thank you.