Statement made on 31 May 2012 by Senator Elizabeth Hubley
Hon. Elizabeth Hubley:
Honourable senators, it is always a pleasure to hear about the great work that our Senate pages go on to do after they leave us and move on with their lives. They are truly an exceptional group of young people, and I am never surprised to hear that they so often go on to accomplish interesting things.
One such former Senate page is Dustin Milligan. As honourable senators may recall, Dustin came from Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island, to study at the University of Ottawa. He served in the Senate from 2004 to 2006 and was chief page in his last year. Since then, he has moved on to law school at McGill University and most recently has authored a series of children's books on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Each of these books is set in a different province or territory and uses humour and Canadian cultural references to bring human rights stories to life. Characters such as Anne of Green Tomatoes, Justin Beaver and Alanis Moosette explain the rights and freedoms in the Charter in a way that is appropriate and engaging for children. They are delightfully illustrated and easy to read. It is, therefore, no surprise that they have already grabbed the attention of teachers and school boards across the country.
Dustin has been working on the series for the past five years. He has so far published six books and was recently at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library for a big book launch.
I hope you will all join me in congratulating Dustin on his hard work and great accomplishment. His book series is just the kind of innovative and exceptional work that Senate pages have a reputation for.