Keynote Address to the Canadian Club of Toronto

On this occasion, His Excellency discussed education and learning in Canada, and its future value to Canadians.

"On the day of my installation as governor general, I made clear that I consider my tenure in this office a call to service, and that my wife Sharon and I intend to answer that call by bringing Canadians of all backgrounds and ages together to create a smart and caring nation," said His Excellency. "A smart, caring nation is one that supports children and families, encourages philanthropy and volunteerism, and places the highest priority on learning and innovation. The word that connects these elements is inclusiveness."

"The most important avenue for advancement and success for generations of Canadians has been public education. It didn’t come about by accident. We Canadians made it a priority and worked hard to bring it to life—harder than most other nations," added His Excellency. "The great thing about Canadian education is how inclusive it is—from kindergarten to post-secondary institutions. We Canadians—and our ancestors for generations before us—made a deliberate choice. We chose not to use education to perpetuate elite groups or a ruling class. As a result, we made public education a path to success for generations of native-born Canadians and wave upon wave of immigrants."

His Excellency delivered a keynote address entitled ‘Greater Aspirations’ to the Canadian Club of Toronto, on April 26, 2013, in the Ballroom of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.