Rideau Hall, Thursday, December 11, 2014

Good afternoon, and welcome to Rideau Hall for this important ceremony.

Why important? Because honours and awards are an indication of our values, and this presentation speaks to our desire for peace.

In particular, we recognize today a Canadian whose life’s work has been the pursuit of peace, justice and security for those who need it most in some of the world’s most troubled societies.

Mr. Nigel Fisher was here at Rideau Hall earlier this fall to be invested into the Order of Canada, and I am delighted to welcome him again today to receive this honour.

He is a most deserving recipient of the Pearson Peace Medal.

He personifies not just caring, but courage, and reminds us all that the most compassionate human beings are often also the bravest.

To quote Dr. Ursula Franklin, Companion of the Order of Canada and a previous recipient of this honour:

“Peace is not simply the absence of war. It is the presence of justice and the absence of fear.”

For more than three decades, Nigel Fisher has worked to increase justice and decrease fear and suffering in some of the world’s worst conflict and disaster zones.

He has dedicating himself to protecting and improving the lives of civilians—especially children, who are the most vulnerable.

He has led humanitarian operations overseas, in Iraq, Afghanistan and Rwanda, following the genocide. He led the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010.

He has also improved the well-being of children in this country, not least through his work with UNICEF Canada.

Mr. Fisher has a strong sense of justice, and he has courage in spades—though I know he is far too modest to admit it.

He truly understands that there can be no peace without justice, and that peace and security cannot exist where fear is present. He knows that all people have the right to live in freedom and dignity.

We must reinforce this relentlessly as we seek to resolve the conflicts that exist in our own lives, as well as those that divide us as peoples and nations in our complex, interconnected world.

All of us desire peace, but if it is to be sustainable, it must be a just peace. All people want freedom from fear, but that freedom must exist for everyone, not merely a privileged few.

Nigel Fisher is an example of what we can accomplish when we dedicate ourselves to the well-being of others.

He shows us that the right thing to do is also the bright thing to do, and that the virtues of “smart and caring” reinforce each other to create a better world for all.

He has improved the lives of children and families around the world, and he has given hope to so many.

As patron of the United Nations Association in Canada and on behalf of all Canadians, I thank you for your caring and your courage.

Congratulations on receiving this prestigious honour.

Thank you.