Rideau Hall, Monday, November 9, 2015

It’s a pleasure to extend a “virtual hello” from Rideau Hall, which is on traditional Algonquin territory, to all of you who are gathered in Sydney!

I had the pleasure of visiting Sydney in person a few years ago, during my first official trip to Nova Scotia.

I visited Membertou First Nation and met with members of the community, including Chief Paul, and I remember talking with him about the values and beliefs we share.

Respect, heart, truth and trust—these were some of the words that Chief Paul used.

These values are fundamental to our relationships, and that includes our mentorships, which of course is what brings all of you together today at Cape Breton University.

The In.Business mentorship program is such a wonderful initiative. At its core are those values of respect and heart and trust.

I’ve had countless teachers and mentors during my life, and I can tell you that the mentoring experience can lead to exciting new possibilities for all of you who are participating.

In fact, the late Purdy Crawford, whose vision inspired this program, was one of my most important mentors. The son of a coal miner, he dedicated his life to the pursuit of excellence and equality of opportunity. He was a wonderful teacher, an extremely hard worker, fair-minded, optimistic, and funny!

In short, he was everything you want to see in a mentor. He became such a close friend that my wife and I asked him and his wife Beatrice to be godparents to our daughter, Sharon.  

So, whether you’re a student, staff member, Elder or mentor, you should be proud to be part of this very special program. Mentorship is a wonderful thing.

I also want to say how impressed I am to see so many bright and talented young people take an interest in business and entrepreneurship.

And importantly, you’re pursuing an education in this field.

Today, perhaps more than ever, it’s important to have strong, talented businesspeople—people like Chief Paul and like Purdy Crawford—to create opportunities and strengthen their communities.

The way to get there is through learning.

First, you learn the ropes, the ins and outs of business and entrepreneurship.

Then, you have a real shot at success!

Business and entrepreneurship are so essential to our well-being. They’re important to our prosperity and to our future.

And it’s especially important for indigenous youth to have the opportunity to learn the business skills to take us forward.

Your communities—and all of Canada—need you to take up this challenge and do your best. We’re all rooting for you. 

One sure sign of this lies in the fact that the In.Business program has grown from its beginnings in Atlantic Canada to take root right across the country!

Think about that for a moment: people across the country are following your lead!

You’re all going to learn a lot from each other during the course of this program.

My message to you is: take this opportunity to really get to know each other, to share your experiences and hopes and dreams, and try to create something truly special together.

I have no doubt that you will.

Have a wonderful conference, everyone. I look forward to following your progress.

Thank you.