Ottawa, Ontario, Tuesday, April 9, 2013

I am so pleased to be with you here today to present Turnbull School with its coat of arms.

One of the roles I assumed when I became governor general was head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. In fact, I’ve presented coats of arms to a select number of organizations during my mandate, and I am honoured to have my very own coat of arms as well!

The coats of arms I have seen from talented heralds, some of whom have been here in the past year to speak with you about their process, are simply fantastic.

A coat of arms is a visual expression of values and identity. Whether personal or professional, in our families or our schools, values are what we hold onto. They speak to who we are and who we want to be.

That is why I enjoy studying coats of arms and their designs, since the images chosen reflect what is important to us. Of course, all of you know this, and I understand that each class has created a coat of arms to represent the school, some of which I will be able to see later this morning.

Symbolism—such as in your coats of arms—is so vital, and it is everywhere we look. It is in our flags and our badges; it is used to tell a story. And today we tell your story with the unveiling of Turnbull’s coat of arms.

If there is one thing a good school should do—outside of imparting knowledge, of course—it’s to help us discover ourselves, our interests and our self-worth, and what it means to be Canadian.

Here at Turnbull, not only do you learn about history, math and the sciences, but you also explore what it means to be an active and engaged citizen in this country.

Since becoming governor general, I have spoken of building a smart and caring nation, a country of which we can all be proud. I believe that we can do this by strengthening such things as learning, by volunteering in our communities, by giving our children the best opportunities to succeed.

Here, you learn what it takes to build a smarter, more caring Canada. Here, I can see children getting the best start.

I have seen so many examples of young people like yourselves who are making this country a better place to live. You have expressed your values through your community work and have accomplished so much for so many. You have helped people not only in Ottawa, through such organizations as the Ottawa Hospital Foundation and United Way, but also in other countries, such as your partnership with Help Losotho.

I know the future of Canada is in good hands because it is in your hands.

I understand that each month you highlight one particular character trait, with confidence being this month’s attribute.

This is so appropriate for us here today, because I see how confident all of you are, with the education you get at Turnbull, with your projects, and with how you view yourselves.

The coat of arms we unveil today honours this school and the principles on which it was founded, but most of all, it is a testament to the students who have benefited from a quality education from this fine institution for more than 20 years.

I wish all of you the best in your studies, and the very best for the future.

Thank you.