Hon. Peter Harder: Honourable senators, it gives me great pleasure to welcome representatives from Queen’s University to our chamber today.

Queen’s is a leading university, with more than 27,000 students from across Canada and 126 countries around the world. I am pleased to count myself, along with Senators Moodie, Lankin and Black, among its global network of over 150,000 alumni.

As one of Canada’s leading research institutions, Queen’s produces highly skilled graduates across a range of professions and disciplines and is a leader in groundbreaking research. That includes research like Professor Cathleen Crudden’s work, supported by a $24-million grant from the New Frontiers in Research Fund, to develop new coatings that could stop our bridges from rusting or be used to revolutionize medical instruments for fighting cancer.

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As colleagues will know, the Senate Prosperity Action Group recently published its report on sustainable and inclusive prosperity. I can tell you that Queen’s University exemplifies how Canada’s university institutions are Rising to the Challenge of New Global Realities. In fact, just two weeks ago, the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings placed Queen’s seventh in the world out of 1,500 institutions for advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the second year in a row that Queen’s has been recognized in the top 10 in the world.

I encourage all members of this chamber to join us later this evening for Queen’s official reception, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Metropolitan Brasserie. Once again, we welcome Queen’s University and offer our best wishes for a successful day on the Hill.