The Citadelle, Monday, June 2, 2008

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here to the Citadelle, the official residence of the governor general of Canada.

From the moment I took office as governor general, I wanted to create a space in which young Canadians could express themselves and where their initiatives would be recognized.

But this could not be possible without expanding their networks for action, reflection and discovery. I seized every possible opportunity to meet and talk with Canadian youth as I travelled across the country, visiting every province and territory from coast to coast to coast. I also saw them hard at work when I travelled abroad, to five countries in Africa, to Latin America and, most recently, to France.

This year marks the 400^th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec, and I am delighted to begin the festivities with you, the members of the Conseil international des organisations de jeunes de la Francophonie.

I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the International Organization of La Francophonie’s commitment to youth.

So, why am I so interested in youth? Take a look at the major events in history, at the turning points, at the emergence of new ideas that have enabled us to rethink the world, to foster constructive debate, to encourage dialogue, to strengthen our ties, to reach out beyond our borders and move forward.

See just how important, how vital, the role of youth is. They are often agents for change. They are a key part of every struggle for justice, equality, freedom; of every effort to condemn poverty and overcome tyranny. Of course, there have been those who, even now, would cruelly seek to exploit the desire of youth to act, to build, to create a better world. But I am thinking of those young people who are determined to ensure that the forces of creation triumph over the forces of destruction.

Even now, as I travel across this country and around the world, I see that you, our youth, are taking action. I believe it is important to encourage and spread the word about the innovative solutions you are proposing to address today’s challenges.

So many of you are working to wipe out hunger, promote gender equality, combat HIV and AIDS, or protect the environment. This proves yet again that youth play a crucial role in the global partnership for development.

You are leading the way in using new information technologies to move beyond differences and expand networks for action, mutual assistance and solidarity.

I see you hard at work here in Canada and around the world. Your compassion and commitment to building a better, more just world have touched me deeply, and I believe you will succeed. I believe you are the lifeblood of this country, not just for what you can do to shape the future, but because of what you are doing every day, here and now, to shape the present.

This is why I made youth my priority as governor general of Canada. And early in my mandate, I asked myself the following questions:

How can I make this institution that I represent more accessible and meaningful to young people?

How can I make it a space in which youth voices can be heard and taken seriously?

And the first thing that came to mind was: I need to ask them!

So throughout the first year and a half of my mandate, during my official visits across Canada, I made sure to meet with youth in cities and in the smallest communities, some of which are very isolated, to understand how I could work with them, how I could recognize their initiatives, how I could share their concerns and their hopes for the future.

Two suggestions stood out. They told me:

“We want a space in which we can express ourselves; we want to be heard and expand our networks across the country, so that we can share our opinions on current issues.”

“We want more opportunities for international dialogue, to promote solidarity and co-operation between peoples.”

I agreed with them completely. Because I believe it is vital that we hear what you, the young people of the world, have to say and that we encourage you to build bridges and create opportunities for dialogue so that you can realize your dreams. That dialogue can only come from you. We must acknowledge the profound value of your ideas and your desire to contribute to society, and in so doing, to put a human face on humanity, as Aimé Césaire liked to say.

And I’ll say it again: the concrete steps that you are taking must be part of the solutions put forward to address not only the challenges of the future, but also those facing society at this very moment.

Whenever I hear that you feel as though you are not taken seriously, my response is that we cannot do without your creativity, your daring, your ability to reinvent and rekindle hope where solitudes seem to be gaining ground.

Especially in this day and age, when so many people are motivated by greed and cling to the “every man for himself and his clan” mentality, we need you to show us that things can change. We need your message of hope and solidarity. We need that compass to help us find our way and discover new paths, for the betterment of humanity.

It was in this spirit that I decided to launch the Governor General’s Youth Dialogues.

So that Canada’s youth could have a public space in which they could not only express their concerns and share their aspirations, but also connect with decision makers.

On the occasion of the 250^th anniversary of the birth of parliamentary democracy in Canada, we are shining the spotlight on the contribution that youth are making to democracy, both here at home and around the world.

And I am so pleased to announce that I have extended my patronage to the 4^th World Youth Congress, to be held in the City of Québec this summer.

This event will give us the opportunity to applaud your commitment and encourage you to continue in your efforts to make your voices heard and bring about change.

We will begin that discussion today, right here at the Citadelle, by exploring the issues of youth, social change and democracy.

I want to know about the challenges you face—you, the leaders in your respective countries.

I want to know what you are doing to make things better in your communities.

I want to know whether there are barriers limiting your ability to make your opinions heard, within your country and beyond its borders.

And I want to know how you, the youth of La Francophonie, are ensuring that young people are making a place for themselves on the international stage.

I can’t wait to hear what you have to say. And now, the floor is yours.