Rideau Hall, Friday, February 13, 2015

My wife, Sharon, and I are very pleased to welcome you to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada.

As I stand before you today and see assembled so many great leaders, innovators and change-makers, someone who is not with us is called sharply to mind.

Joseph Rotman, a dear friend, Officer of the Order of Canada and long-time member of the Advisory Council for this very honour.

Joe Rotman passed away last month. He would be so pleased to see you all here today being recognized for your remarkable contributions to your communities, to Canada and to the world. He was part of the decision to invest you with this honour. He wanted you to be here.

Joe Rotman was a great champion of Canada. His engagement was remarkably broad—ranging from the arts to business to health care and education.

In this way, he exemplified the Order itself, which reflects the great depth and diversity of achievement in Canada.

You excel in so many fields and come from such a variety of backgrounds. From sea to sea to sea, the members of the Order of Canada touch all corners of this country.

This ceremony is an opportunity to say thank you, on behalf of all Canadians, for all you have done.

Today is also an opportunity to say thank you to those who have supported you along the way.

I encourage each of you to view your investiture as a threshold moment, opening the door to even greater possibilities and achievements.

Let me also highlight another important occasion taking place this week: the 50th anniversary of our national flag, in just two days’ time.

I will be attending a special ceremony on Sunday—appropriately being held at Confederation Park here in Ottawa.

With this anniversary in mind, I have been reflecting on the flag and its past and present significance for Canada.

One thing that is so striking about our flag is how very bold and vibrant it is.

How the red maple leaf between red bars stands out among all the other flags of the world.

How it symbolized Canada’s growing confidence in 1965, and how it continues to dare us to achieve our true potential.

The maple leaf has become a uniquely powerful symbol of our country—it even helped to inspire the insignia of the Order of Canada, which was established in 1967, two years after the flag was first raised.

That insignia is of course a stylized snowflake with a maple leaf at its centre. 

The flag, like the Order of Canada, dares us to keep building a better country.

We have achieved great things together, but there is so much more to do.

And that is my hope for how you view this investiture into the Order of Canada—as an invitation to continued success.

Our motto, as members of this Order, is Desiderantes meliorem patriam—“They Desire a Better Country”—and we have unfinished business.

Thank you for all you have done for Canada. And congratulations on this extraordinary honour.