Rideau Hall, Monday, November 16, 2015

I’m delighted to welcome all of you to Rideau Hall.

We’re here to honour eight of the very best Academic All-Canadians, but before we do, let me acknowledge the national success of our student athletes.

More than 3 000 CIS athletes achieved an average of 80 per cent or higher while playing for a varsity team during the 2014–15 school year. That’s more than 25 per cent of all CIS student-athletes—a record number!

That takes dedication and hard work; talent and focus.

And that takes tons of support from hundreds of coaches and university faculty, as well as peers, family and friends.

Of course, what better year to set the record than this one: the Year of Sport in Canada.

What a fantastic year for sports it’s been in our country! From the Pan American and Parapan American Games to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, there are so many examples of exciting sports moments here in Canada.

This celebration is another one.

We are honouring eight splendid examples of how academics and sports fit together perfectly. Student-athletes have accomplished so much because they long ago realized that these two worlds are not exclusive, but can reinforce each other and can help them succeed.

So you are two-legged men and women with each leg synchronized to the other.

But you are also three-legged people. You excel not only on the field and in the classroom, but you also lead in the community as volunteers—and not just as participants, but as leaders who build our volunteer organizations.

You have found ways to give back, to turn passion into compassion.

You have found ways to turn these three areas of endeavour—academics, sports, volunteerism—into a perfectly reinforcing triangle of good works.

Academics can teach you valuable things about our world.

Sports can help you develop valuable traits.

Volunteerism enables you to take what you learn, what you’ve developed, and put it to good use.

So I thank you for setting the standard for others and for changing the culture to smart and caring.

Every day, in everything that you do, you’ve made your community a better place.

This is how we create a nation of keener minds and kinder hearts.

Congratulations on all your success and on being named one of the top Academic All-Canadians.

Thank you.