St. John’s, Saturday, July 8, 2006

As a maritime nation, Canada has few equals.

To begin with, at more than 240,000 kilometres, our coastline is, by far, the longest in the world.

As the members of the Coast Guard know, more than 100,000 vessels pass through Canadian waters, carrying some 360 million tons of goods, worth an estimated $85 billion dollars.

At the same time, 158 ferries negotiate Canada’s coastal waters, carrying 43 million passengers, and 16 million vehicles.

And let us not forget the 2 million pleasure craft of various sizes and makes, found in both inland and coastal waters.

Considering all these facts, it is clear that you, the members of Canada’s Coast Guard, face a daunting task.

I have had the pleasure of observing the manoeuvres of coastal guards on the St. Lawrence Seaway, just outside the Citadelle in Quebec City and I have witnessed that you carry out your myriad duties with calm, professionalism and great effectiveness.

That is especially true here in Newfoundland and Labrador, the province with the longest coastline. Here you are required to cover approximately 29,000 kilometres of coastline, and respond to some 600 calls a year.

Every day, you and your colleagues working in this province are expected to promote maritime safety, facilitate maritime commerce, protect the marine and freshwater environment, support excellence in marine science, and much more.

You must do so even in the worst conditions, and everyone knows that the Atlantic Ocean can be terrible in its fury. Your task is a very dangerous one, as we were reminded last December, when Coast Guard technician Carl Neal and Transport Canada pilot Gordon Simmons tragically lost their lives in the line of duty. And just this week, a lobster fisherman sadly lost his life.

You are all to be commended for your dedication and your remarkable abilities in this difficult, but essential work.

The Coast Guard is an integral part of life in this province. I am certain that many people feel a lot more secure knowing that you are there to watch over them.

You and your colleagues are woven into the very fabric of this province, helping to protect and enhance a coastal way of life that has struggled for centuries to survive.

On that note, I am reminded of a verse from a well-known Newfoundland composition—I’m sure you’ll recognize it:

“When blinding storm-gusts fret thy shore,
And wild waves lash thy strand,
Through spindrift, swirl and tempest roar
We love thee wind-swept land.”

When Sir Cavendish Boyle added those lines to the “Ode to Newfoundland”, he could have been thinking of a valiant Coast Guard ship, making its way through treacherous seas.

Given the great importance of the Coast Guard to Newfoundland and Labrador, I want to tell you that I am especially honoured to be receiving the title of Honorary Chief Commissioner here today.

As someone who spent her childhood near the Caribbean Sea, in which so many people lost their lives, trying to escape from tyranny or misery on rafts, or travelling on over-crowded ferries, I have always had a great deal of respect for the people who make our maritime way of life safe and possible, and I am grateful for the title you have bestowed on me.

As my first item of business as Honorary Chief Commissioner, I look forward to boarding a Coast Guard vessel later today and travelling on that ship on my way to Trinity.

In closing, allow me to wish all members of the Coast Guard smooth sailing, and much success in your work. Your fellow Canadians are very proud of you and, on behalf of every woman and every man of this country, I thank you with all my heart.