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Toronto, Thursday June 5, 2008
Thank you for joining me this morning as we launch together an exciting initiative to the 40th anniversary of the Order of Canada.
When I began to prepare for this celebration, I wanted to raise the profile of the Order.
I wanted more Canadians to understand the value and relevance of the honours system.
I wanted citizens to develop a more intimate connection with the Order’s members.
And I wanted our nation to be inspired by these wonderful role models, these women and men who have accomplished such great things in every field imaginable. They are builders and are incredibly generous. Truly citizens of great merit.
So I turned to youth and the need to build bridges between the generations.
As many of you know, I have made young people one of the main priorities of my mandate.
I see youth not only as a promise for the future, but as a living strength that embodies the very values of altruism and compassion that we cherish.
It is for this reason that the idea of connecting young Canadian leaders with members of the Order came so easily.
For what better way to highlight the relevance of the Order than by giving a young person the opportunity to meet and exchange with a mentor who has accomplished incredible feats in his or her field of expertise?
And it was thus that the idea of an Order of Canada mentorship project was born.
Ever since I shared my idea with members of the Order, we have received an incredible response.
The Chancellery has been inundated by telephone calls from eager members of the Order, seeking to share their experience and wisdom with youth.
Many see the mentorship project as a refreshing way to get involved in their communities again.
Others see the project as an exciting way to reconnect with and learn from youth. I echo this sentiment, because I believe that mentorship initiatives enrich both sides of the relationship. Youth have so many things to teach us.
And here we are today: My dream of a mentorship project has finally come to fruition.
You have before you, fifty exceptional individuals: twenty-five young leaders from across Canada paired with twenty-five members of the Order of Canada.
And the young leaders are very excited to get started with their mentors.
They have said, and I quote:
“I hope to create a lasting relationship with my mentor and have the opportunity to learn from my mentor’s experiences in life.”
“I want my mentor’s experiences to help me make a good career choice. I want to get advice and get a real view of the journalistic and political world, not just tired clichés.”
“Through this mentorship, I hope to grow and mature as an individual and to give back to my mentor as much as he will help me.”
“I hope that this mentorship program will continue to motivate me to keep getting involved, as I work and talk with someone who has worked in this field, who has experience and whom I already admire for his accomplishments.”
It is with great pride that I would like to present the youth leaders and their mentors.
René Villemure is an athlete and a deeply committed volunteer who has organized rallies for Opération Enfant Soleil and travelled 120 kilometres by wheelchair to raise funds on behalf of sick children.
René has been paired with Roger Mondor, who has spent the past 25 years supporting sports for persons with a disability.
Josianne Gosselin-Dubois, who represented Canada at the Future World Leaders Summit and who helped to create a youth commission, will be mentored by the Honourable Laurier LaPierre, a respected champion of social justice.
Marie-Hélène Dufour, co‑founder of a fund that helps finance medical student internships in developing countries, has been paired with Dr. Pierre Viens, a professor and physician specializing in infectious and parasitic diseases who has led numerous special missions to Africa.
Brennan Manoakeesick, who volunteers with numerous First Nations organizations and promotes youth empowerment workshops to local Aboriginal communities, is paired with Tom Jackson, a popular television, film and musical artist, who has used his talents to help many people in need across Canada.
Natalya Alonso, who developed the Big Buddies Program that connected local at-risk girls with mentors, is paired with Marlene Bertrand, who has also helped to develop programs used in women‑ and children‑in‑crisis shelters across the country and abroad.
Prashanthi Baskaran, who sought to identify whether there was a link between atherosclerosis and gingivitis, is paired with Margaret-Ann Armour, an internationally recognized expert on bio-safety, who works with women to pursue careers in science and engineering.
Mark Blackwell, whose work assembled a group of students to work together on a project to design, build and operate a 100% solar powered house, is paired with Ostap Hawaleshka, Professor Emeritus of Industrial Engineering at the University of Manitoba.
At the age of 12, Gabriel Rodrigue launched his own company, Voltige multimédia, and today offers comprehensive interactive communications services to local and international clients.
He will be mentored by Lorne Trottier, who has poured his passion for science into research, technological development and education in Quebec.
Bobby-Jo Bodnar, a member of the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee, serving as an advisor to the Saskatchewan provincial cabinet on environmental and agricultural issues, is paired with Arthur John Hanson, a thoughtful advocate for balancing economic needs with the preservation of our natural resources.
Jerri Clout, the founder of Youth4Youth.net, a youth-driven committee that engages other young people to learn about HIV/AIDS, is paired with David H. Hill, a former national vice-president of the Canadian Cancer Society and former president of the Council on Smoking and Health.
Chrissy Crowley has a great passion for the Celtic culture of Cape Breton, which led Nova Scotia Tourism to choose her as an ambassador.
Her mentor, Roland Gauvin, is a socially minded musician and ardent promoter of Acadian vitality and culture. He also established the legendary band 1755.
Cassandra Fong discovered that a rare machine that records the stomach’s electrical activity is more accurate in detecting dishonesty than the common polygraph test.
She will be mentored by Jacques Duchesneau, a former president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and former chief of the Montreal Urban Community Police Department.
David Godri started an initiative called SWITCH (Solar and Wind Initiatives Towards Change), which become a movement of youth advocating for sustainable energy generation.
His mentor is Barbara Ann Brink, who has dedicated herself to a broad spectrum of public causes, including the Science World in Vancouver; Junior League and the Capital Campaign for the B.C. Cancer Agency; and the United Way’s Volunteer Leadership Development Program.
Benjamin Gulak is the inventor of the Uno, an environmentally friendly Segway-like vehicle powered by electric motors with rechargeable batteries. His mentor is John C. Risley, a very successful Canadian entrepreneur.
Aaron Hakim’s study into fruit flies that were genetically engineered to mimic people with Parkinson’s disease provided possible targets and timelines for drug intervention.
His mentor, Rémi Quirion, specializes in mental health and neuroscience and is Director of the Douglas Hospital Research Centre.
Sean Husband, who founded the Global Awareness Club, seeks to increase student awareness and activism in international issues in the areas of poverty and human rights violations.
Sean’s mentor is Linda Haynes, who is the co-founder of ACE Bakery Limited, which donates food and profits to charitable organizations; she also helps to fund culinary scholarships and organic farming initiatives.
Aleema Jamal spearheaded the establishment of Kenya’s first public school Computer Resource Centre. Aleema’s mentor is Cynthia Baxter, the founding president of the CODE Foundation, which helps to promote literacy in Africa and South America.
Taddes Korris is a prolific musician whose projects have included organizing a group of 66 young Albertans to record original orchestra scores. His CD was selected as a 2008 Juno Award nominee.
Taddes’ mentor is George B. Zukerman, who is a world-celebrated bassoonist who founded Overture Concerts in the 1950s, to bring classical music to new audiences in Western Canada.
Jacqueline Ng is a young activist who has organized fundraiser events to raise awareness regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic and to engage attendees to sign up for World Vision’s Hope Children.
Her mentor is Jack Chiang, a former columnist with the Kingston Whig-Standard, who has helped raise millions of dollars for community causes.
Scott Oldford incorporated Essential Coding, which helps other companies establish a powerful presence on the Web.
His mentor is Fred Smithers, a visionary businessman and entrepreneur who founded Secunda Marine Services, an international leader in the marine transport industry.
Laxmi Parthasarathy started MY ROOTS, a not-for-profit newspaper that highlights the positive dimensions of the Malvern neighbourhood in Toronto, which is often described as hopeless and plagued by crime.
Laxmi’s mentor is John Honderich, a publisher of the Toronto Star, who has written articles and overseen editorial content that drew attention to issues such as child and spousal abuse, youth unemployment, racism and health care.
Bilaal Rajan is an 11-year-old published author, as well as the founder of both a children’s school in Tanzania and Hands For Help.
Bilaal’s mentor is Craig Kielburger, the co-founder of Free the Children, an influential international organization which has built more than 500 schools and involves more than one million children in its projects.
Sundeep Randhawa created the Dream for Darfur Society, which has helped raise over $34 000 for the devastated region of Darfur, Sudan.
Sundeep’s mentor is Harry Black, who was the executive director of UNICEF for 26 years.
Nikhita Singh has demonstrated through extensive research that wastage from pesticides can be reduced by up to 90% using simple scientific methods.
Nikhita’s mentor, Mark Angelo, is considered by many to be Canada’s pre-eminent river conservationist and is the founder of B.C. Rivers Day, a project attracting some 45 000 volunteers who clean up waterways throughout British Columbia.
Adam Wheeler has co‑ordinated local events encouraging young people to make informed political choices. His mentor is Brent Hawkes, a champion of human rights and social justice.
Members of the Order of Canada: through your lifetime of achievement, you represent an ideal of selfless dedication to the common good, which has benefited all Canadians.
Youth leaders: you personify a glowing model of commitment that has already touched many. I am convinced you will pursue your efforts for many years to come.
You are all incredible role models, and Canadians are all very proud of your achievements.
Dear friends, please give them a round of applause. They deserve it.
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the public will be able to follow the unfolding mentorship relationship through a special portal on the governor general’s new online site, Citizen Voices, at www.citizenvoices.gg.ca.
Every month, mentors and mentorees will post blogs, providing Canadians with a glimpse into their emerging relationship.
Since you are all gathered here today, I would love to hear what your expectations are for this project and learn more about your vision for achieving the Order’s motto, “We desire a better country.”
Thank you, and without further ado, let the discussion begin. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!