Rideau Hall, Thursday, May 30, 2013

It is an honour to host you at Rideau Hall during your State visit to Canada.

I would like to commend your leadership and your contributions, which are creating a stronger country and a better world. I think, for example, at how respected Chile has become on the international stage in such areas as human rights, leading to your country being re-elected to a second term on the United Nations Human Rights Council last year.

Sharon and I would also like to extend a special welcome to the First Lady and to the delegation of Chileans who are accompanying you on this important visit to engage with Canadians.

Excellency, this visit underscores for me the dynamic ways in which our countries have been working together and the ways in which we can improve on our existing partnerships.

This is especially true with respect to two areas that I have been exploring throughout my mandate as governor general of Canada: innovation and learning.

I was delighted to learn that 2013 is the Year of Innovation in Chile. This initiative, of course, will be led by people—from students to entrepreneurs, business leaders to academics—who are transforming your country one step at a time.

During the year’s launch, Excellency, you said, “We need the courage of those who dare to try new things.”

That is a key part of innovation: encouraging and supporting people to do something out of the ordinary, to follow their dreams, to challenge the status quo by asking “why?” and “what if?”

I am confident that Canada and Chile can ask these questions—and find answers— together.

Already, we are working closely in areas of research and technology. And we are sharing knowledge across borders and disciplines.

We are collaborating so much in this regard, including at the recent meeting of the Joint Implementation Committee on Science and Technology. Such forums give us the opportunity to see what can be accomplished when we embrace a globalized world.

This starts with people, with allowing our citizens the chance to succeed together.

This brings me to a different, yet related, way in which we are growing our relationship and cementing our friendship: through learning.

There is no doubt that innovators and dreamers need a broad knowledge base. Whether that involves post-secondary education is dependent on the individual, but one cannot argue the success people achieve when the possibilities of higher education are open to them.

And we are working hard to give our youth that chance, opening up not just our schools, but also our borders to each other, allowing young people the mobility to gain a quality education. Nearly 500 Chilean students were in Canada last year, and with more than 200 agreements between educational institutions, we are giving these students an edge in an increasingly global marketplace.

At the same time, we are committed to ensuring that our future leaders—in politics, business and innovation—have an international experience from which to draw that will help us maintain excellent ties, benefiting both our peoples for many years to come.

Excellency, I trust that your visit to Canada will afford you the opportunity to discover more about our country. As allies in the Americas, as partners in trade, defence, education and innovation, as defenders of human rights and democracy, I know that we have so many different avenues of co-operation.

Let me now raise a glass to that co-operation, to our two nations and our peoples working together, and to our enduring friendship.

Thank you.