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Rideau Hall, Friday, February 22, 2008
My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I are delighted to welcome you here to Rideau Hall to recognize the excellence you have come to embody in our society.
Forty-one years ago, Prime Minister Lester Pearson founded the Order of Canada to commemorate this country’s 100th anniversary.
Last October, we celebrated the 100th investiture ceremony of the Order of Canada. I believe it was an historic occasion, one that will forever be imprinted in our hearts and minds.
Throughout that ceremony, I felt as though the thousands of Canadians who were part of the Order of Canada were with us in thought and spirit, guided by the motto: “They desire a better country.”
Today, you will join this pantheon of great Canadians.
You come from a variety of disciplines: from applied research to medicine, from music to agriculture, from business to literature, from the environment to sports. The list goes on and on.
Among your fellow recipients today, we even have a former prime minister.
But the one thing you have in common, despite the range of your fields of endeavour, is that you have all made and continue to make a remarkable difference in the lives of your fellow citizens.
It is the way in which you have put forward unique approaches, bold new ways of dealing with complex situations.
You have set up organizations, launched initiatives, given form to extraordinary creations.
And you have often done this with a pioneering spirit and by utilizing your abilities to bring people together.
Your actions, ideas and accomplishments inspire us, make us proud, and make us realize that we really can make a difference and that we must take chances. There is nothing worse than indifference or failing to act.
For indeed, the greatest risk is to take no risk at all.
You who are receiving the Order of Canada today are a treasure, a wealth of knowledge and of experience that benefit the entire country, especially our young people, who want only to follow in your footsteps.
I believe that it is necessary to fulfill one of the objectives of the Order of Canada, which is to encourage your fellow Canadians, especially youth, to pursue their dreams and strive to make a difference, for the greater good.
And in Canada, it is possible to dream big.
That’s why, in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Order of Canada, I have called upon the members of the Order across this country to create a mentoring network that will build bridges between the generations.
Their enthusiasm is spreading, the framework in place, and the first group will soon get started.
It’s up to us to make this initiative a success.
I am counting on you.
Because here, in this country, where you come from has no bearing on how far you can go and how much you can achieve.
Canadians look at you with respect and admiration.
Do you know why?
Not simply because you are exceptional people, but because you represent the best in all of us.
You represent a sense of commitment, an ability to excel, caring for others, passion, a desire to dig deeper, and a willingness to see things through and explore knowledge and life in all their dimensions, the very cornerstones of civic responsibility.
Today, as you join this honour roll, I thank you on behalf of your fellow citizens.
We have all gained from your accomplishments.
May we all learn from your experiences.
You have shared with us not only the wealth of your thoughts, but the fire of your passion.
Thank you, one and all!