Rideau Hall, Thursday, June 19, 2008

I was so happy to see you again this morning.

I wanted to hear all about your journey, about the wonderful people you had met along the way, to know what you had learned, what may have surprised or even shocked you, to hear about the conclusions you have drawn.

The time just flew by, didn’t it?

I hope that this sampling of what Canada has to offer has inspired you to go out and discover even more of its secrets and treasures.

I encourage you to seize every opportunity to do so. Our country is brimming with endless discoveries to be made.

Having said that, I must confess that I found our last parting in Banff somewhat disappointing.

Yes, time was running short. There was a plane to catch. But still…

But this experience taught me a few lessons that I would like to share with you, because I think that you, too, can learn from them.

First, remain calm.

Next, forge ahead.

Emphasize the important ideas.

This time, I should warn you, the doors have been shut and the gates are closed.

Don’t worry, I’ll be brief. I know that the days have been very busy and that tonight is about celebrating.

And we have good reason to celebrate.

Remember how in Banff, we talked about a change that is sweeping across the country?

About a groundswell rising against the excessive individualism of recent years, bringing with it profound changes to how we might imagine sharing our lives with one another?

Well, we witnessed a powerful example of this on June 11. What Chief Phil Fontaine told us about finally came to pass.

In front of millions of Canadians, words of sorrow and profound regret resonated in the heart of Parliament.

Those words gave way to expressions of hope and reconciliation, in a powerful admission of wrongdoing caused by the imposition of residential schools. Chief Fontaine described for us the devastating effects that those schools have had on the First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Make no mistake: we, non-Aboriginals, have also been affected, in our relationships with these peoples, these cultures, these languages, this heritage.

In a way, this terrible chapter in our shared history has left us estranged.

I witnessed the signing of that solemn, historic and crucial declaration.

Let me share with you what that moment was like.

It was unlike anything seen before.

The atmosphere was one of reflection: in the midst of burning sweetgrass, sacred songs, fiddling and dances, we listened to painful testimonies mixed with tears of joy and spiritual blessings.

The words that Chief Fontaine spoke to us one week before came back to me: “We still have to struggle, but now we are in this together.”

Together against injustice, exclusion and lack of understanding.

Together for equal opportunity, dialogue and solidarity.

Yes, as I have often said, Canada is a country where anything is possible.

And those possibilities are embodied in every person who has a desire to make things happen.

The time has come for us—for all Canadians—to put our words into action.

This is a responsibility we all share.

It is the sum of our actions that gives strength to us all.

For is it not this ability to rally these actions around a common cause that sets an individual apart as a leader?

Something to think about for tomorrow.

As you may recall, last week I told you that a governor general must listen to people, that the institution must evolve as society evolves, particularly as it undergoes a major transformation.

To quote a great man, although I will put my own spin on it, “I went, I saw, I report back.”

Tonight, I wanted you to meet some inspirational artists I have met, from as far away as Clyde River, Nunavut, who put their words into action…everyday.

Please give it up and make some room for…Blueprint for Life!