Winnipeg, Tuesday, October 18, 2005

I am delighted that my first official trip as governor general brings me here to Manitoba. My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond is also pleased to be here. A few earlier trips had already let me observe the remarkable drive of Manitoba residents. To find myself here again with you today, in the very centre of our immense country, gives me great joy.

Why start with Manitoba? Because the idea of being in the geographic centre of Canada appeals to me. On one side is the East, on the other the West.Two compass points that have shaped our country's imagination. Two directions leading to two powerful oceans: the Atlantic and the Pacific. Between them, right here, the plains that are so impressive when viewed from above, seeming to touch the infinite sky.

Some things that I have read stick in my memory. I particularly remember a remark by Gabrielle Roy, speaking of the mental picture she had of Quebec when she was a child, formed from the stories told to her by her parents who had moved to Manitoba. I could turn the remark around to describe my own experience, and speak of the very strong picture that I formed of the Manitoba plains from reading the novels of Gabrielle Roy. I could see them clearly.  And so my first encounter with you came through literature. These images are still with me.

I like the idea that the word Manitoba has an Aboriginal origin and refers to a huge lake. I was told that, according to the old traditions, near this lake Aboriginal people would come to listen to the voice of the Great Manitou sounding in the wind. And what does the wind say today? It surely whispers of the women and men of diverse backgrounds who have invested here in a dream of openness and sharing, in order to celebrate life in all its aspects.

I applaud these values, which matter deeply to us, which—as I said at my installation—offer the world an extra and much-needed measure of harmony. As citizens of Canada, we all have the incredible privilege of living in a land of freedom, where every one of us can participate fully in building our country. Think about it.

But while freedom is a right with which we are blessed, we know it also entails responsibilities that we must never neglect, never forget—responsibilities that we must pass on to our children while they are still in the cradle, as my mother used to say.

Let us speak of these responsibilities. Since assuming the office of Governor General, I have insisted on the importance of together breaking down all solitudes—especially the solitude of women and men who are in need, unheard, lacking a voice.

In my view, the civic action of breaking down solitudes can offer the greatest hope to our country and the entire world. I intend to devote myself to promoting and multiplying actions that help to create a broader dialogue among us, a still deeper understanding of what we are collectively, a greater tolerance in our daily life. I first came to Manitoba to support efforts made to eliminate violence against women. This experience which brought together women from Manitoba and Québec taught me the constructive power of solidarity and the necessity to break down barriers to achieve a common goal.

Isn't that a worthwhile challenge? The precious freedom and the infinite opportunities that it opens to each of us give us the possibility to take action in order to build the kind of society we want to live in. We must believe in our strength to change the course of the world.

This is where real dialogue starts. And if we can initiate such a dialogue among ourselves, it could trigger around the world a truly global trend toward solidarity. This would be a globalization no longer defined solely by commercial trade, but also by mutual help and the wish to tackle head-on issues that concern us all.

Some of you will say that this is a dream. Well, yes, it is a dream, a dream for which I wish with all my heart. I know as well that sometimes you must dream many dreams to make enough of them come true. I am a woman of action and I am here with you today to make this dream catch fire throughout Canada, to celebrate the values that are dear to us, to stress the concerns that we have about the future and the ways that we can join together in creating a still better, more cohesive society.

During my stay, I hope to meet with many of you. I would like this first official tour that I am undertaking in Canada to express the thoughts of one citizen among equals, whose basic objective is to allow your words again to be given proper heed—because from your words come knowledge and recognition, summoning us to dream and impelling us to act.

Thank you.