Address to the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences

The Governor General addressed attendees of the 2015 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences during a Big Thinking panel discussion with leaders in social sciences.

Dr. Stephen Toope, President of the Board of Directors for the Federation of the Humanities and Social Sciences

Allan Rock, President of the University of Ottawa, offered welcoming remarks.

Dr. Gilles Patry, President and CEO of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, introduced the Governor General and invited him to speak.

The crowd gathered for the Governor General's address and the panel discussion with experts during the Big Thinking Lecture series.

"This imperative of working together across disciplines—and territorial borders, I would add—is something I call the diplomacy of knowledge," said the Governor General. "Practising this kind of knowledge diplomacy is a must when it comes to the most pressing, complex challenges facing our world. We have to “throw everything we’ve got” at the problems and opportunities we encounter, and that means not only sharing and deepening our knowledge, but also improving how we learn."

Dr. Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director of Mitacs

Dr. Miao Song, Affiliate Assistant Professor at Concordia University Computer Science & Software Engineering

"When it comes to learning, Canada has an advantage. Our educational system is known for excellence and for equality of opportunity, and our future well-being will be determined by our ability to renew that advantage for the 21st century," said His Excellency. "It is one that we must renew, given our highly competitive global context."