Senator Omidvar: Thank you, Senator Gold. That’s very good to hear. As Canada is considering other measures, will it also turn its eyes not just on sanctioned entities and the owners of sanctioned entities but also on directors, who are apparently present in Canada without any retribution for their association with these sanctioned entities? Will the government also take a broader look at who is sanctioned?

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Welcome back, Senator Gold. It’s good to see you looking fit and healthy.

I want to shift our attention to global affairs and, in particular, the feminist revolution in Iran. “For women, for life, for freedom” has become the rallying slogan, not just for the people of Iran but, in fact, around the world — so much so that the song won a Grammy a few days ago for Best Song for Social Change.

We know the social change and slogans must be accompanied by political action. Canada — I’m very pleased to say this — has already imposed sanctions on 127 Iranian individuals and 189 entities. My question to you is whether and when the government will move to the next logical step, which is to seize the assets of some of these individuals and repurpose them back to support the people of Iran in different ways. Thank you.

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, I continue on a sombre note and wish to give voice to the brave Iranian women, men, girls and boys who are facing down a brutal regime in Iran. What better way to do this than to use their own words. These words, which I will read out shortly, were crowdsourced by 25‑year-old musician Shervin Hajipour who captured their essence and put them to music.

On release of the song, he was, of course, immediately jailed and tortured before being released again. He has gone silent, but the song has gone viral — not just in Iran but, in fact, globally.

I am fortunate enough to understand Persian, and every time I listen to this piece, I go weak in the knees. I am struck by how inclusive the words are, and how they are a musical cry for justice. So here goes.

The song is titled “Baraye” or “For.”

For dancing in the alleys

For breaking the taboo of kissing in public

For my sister, your sister, our sisters

For changing rusted minds

For the shame of poverty

For the longing for a normal life

For the dumpster diving children and their wishes

For getting rid of this planned economy

For this polluted air

For the dying Tehran’s landmark trees

For the Persian cheetah about to go extinct

For the unjustly banned street dogs

For the unstoppable tears

For the scene of repeating this moment

For the smiling faces

For students and their future

For this forced road to paradise

For the imprisoned elite students

For the neglected Afghan refugee kids

For all these “for”s that are beyond repetition

For all of these meaningless slogans

For the rubbles of the bribe-built buildings

For the feeling of peace

For the sun after these long nights

For anxiety and insomnia pills

For men, fatherland, prosperity

For the girl who wished to be a boy

For women, life, freedom

Thank you.