Banff, Friday, June 6, 2008

Finally, here we are in Banff, at the foot of the Rockies, ready to embark on our exciting adventure.

It is a pleasure to be here with you today. We have been working for over a year on the 2008 Leadership Conference, for which I will serve as honorary chair with as much enthusiasm as many of my predecessors over the past 25 years.

The simple fact that you have been chosen to take part in this conference speaks volumes of your ability to have an impact.

You are here because your peers see in you a leader.

Your capacity to make things happen and to inspire others, to the point that they readily pool their strengths to achieve a common goal, is a rare quality.

A talent to be nurtured.

An extraordinary potential.

But also, and above all, a responsibility.

The responsibility to act for the greater good.

And the responsibility to act for the greater good is one that puts the interests of the community above the narrow “every man for himself” mentality; one that puts openness toward one another above withdrawal into oneself.

And this notion of collective responsibility is so important in this era, as the pressures of globalization have too often been slanted.

Slanted in favour of the profit motive and the bottom line.

Slanted in favour of one particular group to the detriment of another.

Slanted against the urgent need to protect our delicate ecosystems.

The idea that decisions—whether they focus on the global economy, international security, or natural resources—should give considerable weight to the human cost or impact, is still an anathema in some quarters.

The notion that everything is a zero-sum game—that there is no room for compromise, dialogue, and mutual growth—is still a reality.

As a result, we are witnessing a proliferation of solitudes, hate conquering reason, defeatism and indifference toward the Other gaining ground. I believe that we must return to more collective values.

This is what inspired my motto as governor general of Canada: Briser les solitudes, or “breaking down solitudes.”

For I believe that now more than ever, the time has come to redefine the ties that bind us in our communities, across our country, and around the world.

In our modern societies that, day by day, are becoming more diverse, we must see beyond preconceived ideas, beyond the status quo, beyond our differences and disagreements, beyond our fear of the unknown, to envision other ways of living together.

Ways that are more just.

Ways that are more equitable.

Ways that are, dare we say it, more human.

And I have no doubt that it is you who will blaze those new paths for us.

As I said yesterday at the Glenbow Museum, you will have the opportunity over the next two weeks to go out and meet with Canadians, right where they live, in their communities.

You will have the opportunity to see whether your perceptions of Canada measure up. Often what we imagine is nothing like reality.

This country is so vast that it is almost impossible to experience everything it has to offer, to take its full measure and truly understand its diversity and richness.

No doubt you will be surprised, as I am, to learn how little people in the South know about all of the wonderful things happening in the North, and vice versa.

How little the western regions and eastern regions know about each other.

All too often, the image we have of our country and its inhabitants is partial, in every sense of the word.

It is an image based on preconceived ideas.

Such ideas stand as walls between us.

Such ideas have no place in our society.

If we are to deconstruct these ideas and develop a sense of national purpose, we need to look beyond our front door. We also need to think outside of the box.

There are people with experience who will guide you.

Beginning with the President of this conference, Richard George, who embodies leadership and the drive to excel.

And others who are working in their communities to improve the lives of those around them.

People who, often with few resources, are accomplishing extraordinary—some might call them revolutionary—things.

People who consider the human side of any situation and put the public interest above concerns for profit.

The sceptics may say that for “real” leaders, taking into account the human dimension is but an empty formula or a meaningless cliché.

Yet I respond: do not be deceived. For it is precisely the human dimension that drives my mandate as governor general of Canada.

I have sought to transform the institutional space I occupy into an agora, where the voices of citizens can resonate.

The new Web site of the Governor General, Citizen Voices, constitutes a prime example, as citizens are invited to participate in discussions through blogs, forums, chat sessions, and video-blogs.

I have sought to bring the institution much closer to the grassroots, where women and men are defying the odds to bring positive change to their communities.

The urban arts forums—which assemble hip hop artists, poets, break-dancers, painters, philanthropists, members of the Order of Canada, and decision-makers in one creative space to combat exclusion, violence and crime—is a prime example.

I have sought to tap into the living strength that youth constitute, putting them at the centre of what it means to reinvent the world.

The new mentorship program that pairs youth leaders with members of the Order of Canada in a spirit of exchange and reciprocity is another example.

Why am I doing this?

Because I believe that it is imperative to support the tireless work being accomplished by women and men in their communities.

For these people are leaders in their own right. They are the backbone of our society. Without them, it would crumble.

Their lives are a lesson in commitment, in hope and creativity.

As I have travelled across the country, I have seen them in action, and I believe that they, like you, are the greatest hope for the present and the future.

This weekend is a wonderful opportunity to lay the foundation for the discussions you will have with these Canadians and for the discoveries you will make as you move forward on this adventure.

May this plenary session be a most rewarding experience.

I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!