Ottawa, Monday, January 23, 2017

It is a special pleasure to be here with you today as the spouse of the current governor general and commander-in-chief. David and I share a strong admiration and respect for our military and their families. 

It was Madame Vanier and her husband General Vanier, the Governor General at the time, who founded the Vanier Institute of the Family in 1965.

More than fifty years later, I am here in support of the great work the Vanier Institute continues to do today for the well-being of Canadian families.

I still vividly remember being part of the launch of the Families in Canada Listening Tour at L’Arche in June 2014. Under Nora’s leadership, this national tour was aimed at engaging Canadians in a conversation about family, and which included active military and veteran families. 

I was also fortunate to be a participant in two earlier Vanier Institute events that gave birth to the idea of the Canadian Military and Veteran Families Leadership Circle.

In addition to my ongoing association with the Vanier Institute, I have had the opportunity to visit a dozen Military Family Resource Centres and Joint Personnel Units over the past six years.  And I have personally witnessed the dedication of these organizations that support military and veteran families.

Today’s forum goes even further by engaging the entire community of support providers to ensure our military families have better access to care, with the added benefit of creating a sense of inclusion and belonging.  This shows the power of partnerships to achieve concrete results and action for families and individuals.  

Physical and mental health are vital requirements for a society to prosper. It is this lifelong belief that keeps this septuagenarian on a road bike to cover a hundred kilometres or to reach out for professional help whenever needed. And so it is leaders like you who come together for the well-being of others  that have inspired me to put my support behind mental health.

I was very moved to be made an honorary naval captain of the Military Personnel Command. This has provided me with a platform for mental health advocacy of our Canadian Armed Force members and their families.

There are unique challenges faced by military and veteran families.  By promoting the understanding and knowledge of these challenges to the community-based service providers across Canada, we can ensure that the needs of these families can and will be met, regardless of location.

As I look around the room, I am impressed by the calibre of leaders who share the same vision of well- being. Collaborative partnerships cannot be underestimated. No more working in silos!

Thank you for inviting me today. I congratulate you for the outstanding work you have already accomplished and I look forward to hearing about your upcoming activities.