October 26, 2007

by Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean

On Friday, October 26, Rideau hall hosted the 100th investiture ceremony of the Order of Canada, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. I encourage everyone to read the citations, which highlight the lives and accomplishments of the women and men who were honoured. You will discover remarkable people from every sector of society and from all across the country, people whose genius, altruism and vision have made an outstanding difference in the world. Each and every one of them is an inspiration. This Order of Canada ceremony gave us the opportunity to celebrate, for the 100th time, not an elitist ideal of the best among us, but a reflection of the very best in all of us.

But how can we cultivate this spirit of excellence, ability to excel and sense of commitment? How do we ensure that these values, knowledge and experiences are passed from generation to generation? The answer is in the responses we get on this site from young people when they talk with members of the Order of Canada. They say things like, “you’re my hero,” “you are a role model to me.” And in return, the members have told us how much they have learned from talking to young people. That is what we must encourage and perpetuate: solid and concrete ties between generations. Starting this year, we will be helping to establish mentoring relationships. I have no doubt that both the mentors and the mentored will find the experience lively and enriching. We are working to bring together young people and members of the Order of Canada. More information about this program will be posted here in the coming weeks.