Rideau Hall, Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Here at Rideau Hall and on Parliament Hill, we are marking the arrival of summer with the return of the Ceremonial Guard, which I had the pleasure of inspecting today.

Every year at this time, I have the privilege of inspecting the Ceremonial Guard as it prepares to assume its summer duties.

And each time, it is with great pleasure that I carry out the task as commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces and as colonel of the Governor General’s Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards.

It gives me an opportunity to see you at work, to talk with you and to tell you how proud I am of you.

Proud, because I know the depth of your commitment and the rigorous training you have undergone.

We should remember that most of you are reservists and that as such, are called upon to serve not only on the parade square, but also in missions in Canada and abroad, some among them quite demanding, if not perilous. You are members of the Canadian Forces and have received the same training as any other soldier.

And I know that the work you do as a summer job is anything but a walk in the park.

All summer, at the gates of Rideau Hall and on Parliament Hill, we will see you in the uniform you are wearing now—a wool jacket, a heavy hat, boots— all day, more often than not under a blazing summer sun.

You have to perform repeated manoeuvres; your drill must be precise, synchronized like clockwork.

You are expected to stand at attention without flinching, even when children try to make you move or smile.

Some of you will be required to play an instrument while keeping in step.

To say nothing of the hours of practice.

This requires tremendous poise, discipline and a highly developed team spirit, qualities that the public admires and recognizes in you.

You know, after Niagara Falls, you are the second largest tourist attraction in Canada.

It is estimated that 2 000 to 4 000 people gather every day on Parliament Hill to watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

What is it that draws them in?

I have no doubt that it is the excellence that has earned the Canadian Ceremonial Guard its reputation.

And, I would add, it is the traditions and values you embody.

The Governor General’s Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards have been present at many of the armed conflicts that have marked our history.

They were there for the Northwest Rebellion of 1885 and the Boer War of 1899-1900.

They were there for the two major conflicts of the last century: the First and Second World Wars.

And that commitment to serving overseas lives on to this day: a number of the current members of these regiments have served, as I said, on missions with the UN and NATO.

Our country has always had to depend on men and women who choose a life of working to restore peace and stability in afflicted countries, in the name of an ideal of justice and freedom.

This is as true today, in Afghanistan and other troubled parts of the world, as it was then.

And though your duty this summer may be draped in pageantry, it is no less important.

Because every society needs symbols in order to move forward and to tell the world who it is, where it is going, and which values it upholds.

You deserve to be admired for who you are, for what you do, and for what you represent.

Make the most of this experience and at all times, give the very best you have to offer. The public will return this gift a hundredfold.

I am delighted to have been able to share this much-anticipated event in your summer season with you, and I thank the visitors who have come out to support and salute you.

I wish each and every one of you a wonderful summer!