The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I received a notice from the Leader of the Opposition who requests, pursuant to rule 4-3(1), that the time provided for the consideration of Senators’ Statements be extended today for the purpose of paying tribute to the Honourable Pat Carney who passed away on July 25, 2023.

I remind senators that pursuant to our Rules each senator will be allowed only 3 minutes and they may speak only once and the time for Tributes shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Hon. Scott Tannas: Honourable senators, former Senator Carney was a journalist, an author, an economic consultant, a member of Parliament and a senator. She was a parliamentarian for over 25 years, here and in the House of Commons.

With the passing of the Honourable Patricia Carney, as Senator Martin said, Canada has lost a trailblazer and an agent for change. To describe her as a trailblazer is not hyperbole but a statement that speaks to her abilities and all of her firsts. She is famous for a lot of firsts. Let me list them, some of which have been listed previously.

She was the first female business columnist to write for a major daily newspaper in Canada. She was the first female Conservative politician elected to Parliament from British Columbia. She was the first woman to serve as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, as Minister of International Trade and later as president of the Treasury Board. She was the first woman to be appointed from B.C. to the Senate.

As an Alberta senator, I honour her as the chief architect of the dismantling of the National Energy Program. She provided leadership for the development of a new approach to energy development and production during the Mulroney government, which ended the regressive policy affecting Western Canada. The National Energy Program was replaced by the Western Accord, which was supported by the energy-producing provinces and fostered new cooperation in the industry between the federal and provincial governments and industry.

Pat Carney later used her talents and in-depth policy knowledge to find common ground in Eastern Canada with the Atlantic Accord, which put in place a market-governed system for offshore energy resources for the benefit of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Her next challenge was trade. As Minister of International Trade, she took on the challenge of free trade negotiations with the United States. She steered the good ship Canada during these difficult trade talks. Her role was described by our former colleague the late Hugh Segal as “. . . seminal, clear cut and demanding.” Her efforts, despite her herculean task, were — as we know — greatly successful.

Another of Pat Carney’s important achievements was her support for the protection of our maritime heritage, especially lighthouses. She introduced a bill in this place to protect heritage lighthouses seven times, but her tenacity finally paid off with the adoption of Bill S-215 in 2008.

To my colleagues who have introduced bills during the session, you can take heart from former Senator Carney’s example that, while it may take time, you can eventually cross the finish line.

Honourable senators, all Canadians owe a great debt of gratitude to our former colleague Senator Carney.

We offer our sincere sympathies to her family and we honour and celebrate her accomplishments.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to the late Honourable Senator Patricia Carney, former senator for British Columbia and trailblazer in many ways.

The Honourable Patricia Carney began her professional career first as a journalist in the 1960s. She was the first female business columnist for major papers in our home province of B.C., including the Vancouver Sun and what was then known as the Vancouver Province.

She was also an educator and a Canadian pioneer in the development of distance learning systems. She understood the profound impact that education plays in the lives of our children and youth and the important role that educators have in helping shape their future careers and education.

Former Senator Carney was awarded the British Columbia Institute of Technology award for Innovation in Education for work on the Satellite Tele-Education Program Hermes project — a true testament to her vision, dedication and knowledge.

She was also an avid volunteer, advocate and member of many organizations and boards. She was a published author and held Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from both the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

In the 1980s, she changed careers and began her life in politics. She was the first female Conservative member of Parliament ever elected in B.C., and on August 30, 1990, became the first female Conservative appointed from B.C. to the Senate.

Former Senator Carney retired in March of 2008, just before I began my work in the Senate as a senator for B.C. Although we never crossed paths during our political careers, as a proud B.C. senator and a woman, it is truly an honour to follow in her footsteps and continue to represent the good people of our province.

She led a life dedicated to service, from mentoring her students to serving her community, constituents and Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Above all, she was a devoted daughter, wife and mother of two wonderful children. On behalf of our Conservative caucus in the Senate, I would like to express my deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. I hope that you can find peace in the memories you shared with her and be assured that her memory lives on in the lives of all those she has touched.

Honourable senators, please join me in saying a final farewell to an esteemed former colleague, the late Honourable Patricia Carney. May she forever rest in peace.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to former senator Pat Carney, who passed away on July 25 at the age of 88. Senator Carney served in the Senate from her appointment in 1990 until her retirement in 2008. A remarkable public servant, her journey to politics began in her early working years with a deep-seated sense of duty.

Before making a foray into politics, Pat had a background in journalism, municipal planning and economic consulting — skills she took with her into her political career. As a journalist, she was the first woman business columnist writing for a major daily newspaper in Canada.

As Senator Martin and Senator Tannas stated, Pat Carney was a trailblazer. She first ran for a seat in the House of Commons as a Progressive Conservative candidate in 1979. Defeated in that election, she ran again in 1980 and was elected the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre. After the 1984 election, she was appointed to the cabinet of then-prime minister Brian Mulroney as the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources. In 1986, she was named the Minister of International Trade, and she was at the forefront of the negotiation of the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement for which she received an award for outstanding achievement in the field of international law and affairs from the New York Bar Association. She retired from the other place in 1988, after having served for two terms. Senator Carney blazed a trail for women in Canadian politics. She was the first woman Conservative member of parliament elected in British Columbia, and was the first woman from British Columbia to be appointed to the Senate.

Senator Carney’s impact extends beyond the legislative sphere. She has been a mentor and role model for aspiring politicians, particularly women, inspiring them to break barriers and pursue careers in public service. Her dedication to mentoring the next generation of leaders is a testament to her belief in the importance of nurturing talent and ensuring a diverse and vibrant political landscape.

Honourable senators, on behalf of the Progressive Senate Group, I wish to extend my condolences to the family of the late Pat Carney.

Thank you.

Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to the late Honourable Senator Pat Carney from my province of British Columbia.

[Translation]

I’d like to take a moment to express my respect for an exceptional woman who, by her courage, determination and vision, made her mark on Canada’s history. I’d also like to share some thoughts about her.

[English]

Senator Pat Carney was a pioneer for women in journalism and politics. She was the first Conservative woman elected to Parliament from British Columbia and the first woman to hold a number of government portfolios, including energy, international trade and the Treasury Board. During her term as the Minister of International Trade, she played a critical role in negotiating the free trade agreement with the United States. She then became the first woman from British Columbia to be appointed to the Senate.

Beyond her impressive professional achievements, Senator Carney was a woman of conviction. She did not hesitate to stand up for her principles, even at the risk of opposing her own Conservative Party. She demonstrated this in 1991 when she voted against Bill C-43, which aimed to reintroduce abortion into the Criminal Code. Her decisive vote helped preserve the right to choose for Canadian women. This vote was not only a reflection of her personal beliefs, but also a courageous act — as she was the only Conservative senator who voted against the bill, which failed in the Senate in a tied vote.

She was, as you have heard, also a hard-working woman who was involved in her community and who supported many causes. She was particularly passionate about preserving the coastline of British Columbia and the historical lighthouses in British Columbia. She was also dedicated to promoting cultural relations between Canada and China. She helped finance the Dr. Sun Yat‑Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver — the only garden of its kind outside of China.

Senators, today we salute the memory of a great Canadian who inspired generations of women and men throughout her remarkable career and her unwavering commitment to our country. We offer our sincere condolences to her family. Senator Carney was a mentor to me, a great feminist and a great Canadian. There’s one thing she taught me — she said, “Stand up for your convictions, even if you are alone.”

Rest in peace, my friend.

Thank you, senators.

Hon. Denise Batters: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to the late senator Pat Carney. Senator Carney was a fierce female trailblazer who built a remarkable career of firsts in politics. In 1980, Pat Carney was the first female Conservative member of parliament ever elected from B.C. With her appointment to the Senate in 1990, she became the first female Conservative senator from British Columbia. In fact, Pat Carney was the first woman in every post she held, including that of the first female finance critic. As a minister in former prime minister Brian Mulroney’s cabinet, she was the first woman appointed to senior economic cabinet posts as the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources; the Minister of International Trade; and the President of the Treasury Board. This carried on a Conservative tradition of elevating strong women to prominent roles. It began with Ellen Fairclough, the first female cabinet minister, and then included Pat Carney, Barbara McDougall, Flora MacDonald and — Canada’s first and only female prime minister — Kim Campbell.

In her role as Prime Minister Mulroney’s international trade minister, Pat Carney helped negotiate the groundbreaking and highly contentious Canada-U.S. free trade agreement. I remember seeing her on a panel discussion at my very first Progressive Conservative Party national convention in 1989, and I was in awe. This was Pat Carney who negotiated the free trade agreement — wow.

In her role as the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister Carney oversaw the dismantling of Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Program — a program much loathed in Western Canada, including in my province of Saskatchewan. In her role as minister, Pat Carney negotiated the Western Accord and the Atlantic Accord, creating a market-oriented system for oil and natural gas, and developing the resource industries on the East Coast.

Senator Pat Carney served honourably in this chamber from 1990 until her retirement in 2008. She was the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Deputy Chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. As well, she served as a member of both the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples and the Senate Fisheries Committee. Senator Carney championed several causes during her time in the Senate, including the rights of Aboriginal women, women’s equality and the preservation of Canada’s heritage lighthouses — an issue she pursued for more than 10 years.

Senator Pat Carney was a fearless, tenacious and passionate Canadian. She loved Canada and served it honourably during her long career as a member of parliament, cabinet minister and senator. Pat Carney passed away in July — on her beloved Saturna Island in B.C. — at the age of 88. I extend my condolences to her family, friends and all those whose lives she touched. The Honourable Pat Carney will be greatly missed, but her legacy and contributions to Canada — as a proud female Conservative parliamentarian — will live on always.

Thank you.