Rideau Hall, Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Thank you all for being here at Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada.

Today, we recognize the outstanding contributions of some of our finest men and women in uniform.   

Tomorrow, Canadians will gather to pay tribute to the veterans who served and who made sacrifices for us. We’ll pause to give thanks and to remember your predecessors in the army, navy and air force.

This is a solemn, special time of year for the Canadian Armed Forces, and I want to say how proud I am to be commander-in-chief, to wear the poppy and to honour you with this investiture.

The Order of Military Merit exists to recognize and celebrate those who answer the call to service with excellence and such extraordinary dedication.

Indeed, the motto of this order—Officium ante commodum—means “Service Before Self.”    

And what is it, exactly, that all of you are standing up for?

You’re standing up for our rights and freedoms as a people.

You defend our democratic values of tolerance, diversity, equality, fairness and the rule of law—by which I mean the constant, relentless pursuit of justice.

This is who we are, and we’re so fortunate to be able to draw upon your talent and dedication. 

Wherever you serve and whatever your role in the forces, you show great professionalism, leadership and courage.

You inspire others to do the same.

You shine brightly, and now, with this investiture, you join a long line of others who have served Canada with distinction.

I’d like all of you to think of this as a threshold moment, with continued excellence to come. Think about how you can further strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces and our country as members of the Order of Military Merit.

I know that military service isn’t always easy, and that it requires sacrifices of yourselves and of your loved ones.

But all of you have risen to the challenge, and for that, I’m very grateful.

Congratulations on this great honour, and thank you for everything you do for Canada.