Presentation of Decorations of the Association des Scouts du Canada

Rideau Hall, Thursday, April 9, 2009

I am filled with a sense of joy as I stand here before you to welcome you to Rideau Hall, beneath the light emanating from this work of art by Norval Morrisseau, the great Ojibway painter, depicting the intimate relationship between all forms of life.

A joy that flows from the memories I have from my years with the Scouting movement, having been a Guide in my youth.

The smallest thing can bring back a flood of memories: songs sung in unison; laughter shared around the campfire; exciting adventures in the great outdoors; simple gestures to help the community.

Gestures rich in meaning and possibilities.

I learned a lot from that experience, notably the power of solidarity, the value of commitment and the responsibility that each of us has to contribute to society and to protect the environment.

To a large extent, that experience made the girl and young Guide that I once was into the woman, the mother, the citizen and the governor general that I have become.

Having said that, I am also fully aware that the world today is very different from the world in which I grew up.

We are witnessing a shift away from the values that bind us to one another toward an almost manic individualism that will get us absolutely nowhere.

At a time when, too often, we see indifference and the “everyone for themselves” mentality gaining the upper hand, the Scouting movement offers our children and youth a different way of being a part of society.

A way that reinforces the sense of community and responsibility, a way that encourages youth to take meaningful action in the hope of making the world a better place.

I firmly believe that we must give our children and youth the means to reach their full potential, so that they will dare to dream big and act for the greater good.

This is why I am so happy to pay tribute to you today, to those of you who are dedicated with absolute conviction to giving them every opportunity to thrive and to take part in civic life.

Today, you are receiving the highest awards presented by the Scouting movement. They recognize your service, leadership, commitment, innovative spirit, and heroism.

In addition, two of your troops, made up of youth 14 years of age and up, are also being honoured for their involvement in projects beyond our borders: one in Morocco and the other in Costa Rica.

I believe that what these young people are telling us in carrying out these projects is that from this point on, we need to include the entire world in our definition of community.

Let us commend that spirit of fellowship that guides them and that knows no boundaries.

And let us also recognize that one of the awards is being presented for the first time this morning. It is an award that bears the name of a great man and a great Canadian, General Roméo Dallaire.

General, and now Senator, Dallaire has never been afraid to take a stand against apathy, inaction, or indifference.

He is a humanist, a man of heart, both in his actions and his words. And I believe that he represents an extraordinary source of inspiration for Scouts of all ages across Canada and for youth around the world.

Senator Dallaire would very much have wanted to be with us here today, but unfortunately, he took a bad fall on March 15 when he was shoveling the snow off the roof of his house. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

To all of you being honoured this morning, I want you to know how proud I am of you as chief scout.

You embody that unwavering power of solidarity, sharing and commitment through which we can build a more just, more compassionate, and more generous society.

We owe you a debt of gratitude and a warm round of applause. Thank you, so very much.