Rideau Hall, Wednesday, May 21, 2008

It is a pleasure to welcome you here to Rideau Hall, and to Canada, at this time of year, when the residence gardens are in bloom, reawakening after a long winter.

This morning, we welcome the Ambassador of El Salvador, the Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea, the High Commissioner of Singapore, the Ambassador of Estonia, and the Ambassador of Mauritania.

In other words, all of the major regions of the world are represented here today: the Americas and Asia, Africa and Europe.

We have come together in a spirit of diversity, sharing and bringing our peoples closer together.

Since my appointment as governor general of Canada, I have accepted the credentials of a great many ambassadors and high commissioners posted here or in the United States, and each time is an opportunity for me to reiterate the importance of our shared solidarities.

At the dawn of the third millennium, as borders are blurred and being redrawn, it is imperative that we work together to redefine the ties that bind us.

The more our respective interests encompass the interests of the wider world, the more fulfilled we will be and the stronger we will make our joint commitment to the human family.

In my travels across Canada and abroad, I have come to realize that our greatest responsibility is to focus on the values we share, rather than on borders that separate us.

In that spirit, we are delighted at the prospect of establishing warm and open relationships with you based on our common interests.

I have no doubt that each of you will inject new vigour into the trade, diplomatic, cultural and social relations between our countries.

You can already count on the friendship and support of all Canadians to facilitate and build ties that we hope will endure.

I would like to encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to go out and meet with Canadians. You will find that they are open and share your hopes for peace, freedom and prosperity.

You will discover that Canada contains the world and that we Canadians treasure our diversity, for it brings us unlimited possibilities.

You will see that the rule of law, respect for human dignity, equality between women and men, freedom of speech and the responsibility to act, good governance, and sustainable development are values that we are committed to promoting, here at home and around the world, values that are dear to citizens of all backgrounds.

For Canada, one of the highlights this year will be the festivities surrounding the 400^th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec.

These festivities celebrate four hundred years of French presence in the Americas. It is an important chapter in our collective history, and I hope that you will join us in marking this historic event.

In fact, I have just returned from a State visit to France as an extension of these celebrations. It was a unique opportunity to celebrate the history that Canada and France share and the strength of the bonds between us, on both sides of the Atlantic.

When the City of Québec hosts the Sommet de la Francophonie in October, we will be pleased to count on the active participation of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. As we strive to achieve our shared objectives, let us move forward in a spirit of openness, partnership and fellowship.

Continuing our dialogue, strengthening our ties and working together toward a common goal: this is what we should focus on throughout your mandate, strong in the friendship that binds us.

And so, to friendship, to sharing, and to solidarity!