Hon. Kim Pate: Honourable senators, where to start in remembering Josée and what we miss most: her megawatt full-body smiles, her effervescent personality, seemingly endless grace, energy, warmth, fortitude, tenacity, intellect, kindness, care, generosity, compassion, integrity, courage, humour, empathy, humanity?

One of my most enduring and endearing memories was when Josée approached us with shared concerns about isolating prisoners and offered to work on Bill C-83. We did our best to improve it, and Josée took the lead on insisting on judicial oversight and remedies for prisoners. When the resulting amendments, which would have assisted the government in its stated objectives, were ultimately rejected, Josée, with characteristic aplomb, immediately determined our next move. If the government would not ensure correctional accountability, we should.

I feel very blessed that I had the privilege and responsibility to walk and work with Josée. We planned to work with Senator McCallum to make ribbon skirts.

[Translation]

On behalf of her family, it is my privilege to announce that the ribbon skirt presented to the Senate today was carefully crafted by Marie-Paule Forest, Senator Forest-Niesing’s mother, using the fabric the senator had selected for this purpose. The Forest and Niesing families are grateful to be able to offer it as a solemn gesture of healing in fulfilment of a promise made by the senator. May this ribbon skirt symbolize her resilience, her sense of duty and the lasting contribution she made to the Senate of Canada.

[English]

Senator Forest-Niesing was a passionate advocate for equality rights, particularly for Franco-Ontarians. Her long and distinguished legal career began in le programme de common law en français à l’Université d’Ottawa, where she was also inducted to the Common Law Honour Society. Indeed, in her honour, the University of Ottawa has initiated the Senator Josée Forest-Niesing Entrance Scholarship to provide financial assistance to first-year students from northern Ontario, and within a few minutes your offices will all receive information about that.

Colleagues, I cannot think of a better way to honour our beloved Josée’s memory. Meegwetch, to all of her family and friends, and thank you so much for sharing her with us these few years.