Quebec City, Friday, September 13, 2007

I firmly believe that the true strength of a community lies in its citizens’ willingness to help one another.

Those of you we are honouring today are further proof of that.

Your acts of compassion and solidarity deepen our sense of humanity.

You remind us that we can all have a positive impact and improve the world around us. Every initiative, every idea, every action, every word counts and can make all the difference.

Your actions help forge bonds of fellowship in our neighbourhoods, our communities, our cities, across our country and around the world.

You make us want to do better and challenge us to look after the needs of others. You dare us to stand up and fight indifference.

These days, we may too often see solitudes multiplying, hatred overcoming reason, and the defeatist, “everyone for himself” attitude triumphing, but you remind us that there are other ways of living together as a society.

As governor general, I have the privilege of travelling across this great country of ours and meeting people who are deeply committed to their communities; I have seen them in action, and I believe that they, like you, are the greatest hope for the future.

And meeting and speaking with these women, men and young people gives me the opportunity to see these strengths in action, to see that there are people who are always looking to find solutions.

Here in Canada, the common denominator is generosity. People have very similar concerns all across this huge country of ours. Our social fabric is dynamic and deserves to be recognized. Everywhere you go in Canada, ordinary people are doing extraordinary things, acting like everyday heroes.

I saw a wonderful example of this commitment this afternoon at the round-table discussion on social engagement we held right before this ceremony.

We brought together all those we are honouring today—people who have dedicated their lives to helping others—and young people who, in their own way, are giving of their time and energy in this same spirit and with the same determination.

I would now like to introduce these young people, and I ask that they rise as I say their names.

Thank you to the following people their participation:

Caroline D’Anjou, a volunteer with the World Youth Congress who is in charge of the national youth involvement campaign and a communications officer for the Table de concertation des Forums Jeunesse régionaux du Québec.

Marie-Élaine Desmarais, a volunteer with the Special Olympics track club.

Julien Fortier, who took part in the J8 summit in Germany this summer and who is very interested in environmental issues.

Marc-Antoine Morin, a member of the Cégep St-Lawrence’s student association who is actively involved in various international projects, including ones in Guatemala.

And finally, six students from École Joseph-François Perrault: Nadia Bahmed, Alexandre Bisson-Larrivée, Frédérique Lalanne, Marie-Michele Lortie, Francis Matte-Ouellet, and Pier Alexandra Minkoue-Be-Nze, along with Noël Marceau, who leads them in their pastoral life.

These six remarkable young people organize gourmet nights every year; that is, they prepare a meal, present and serve the meal, and donate all profits to charity.

The twelve people receiving the Caring Canadian Award today are role models for these young people, who are following in their footsteps.

They all share a determination to act for the greater good.

It gives me great pleasure to honour them.

To Norman Aird of Verdun, who supports athletes with intellectual disabilities, and helps the sick and less fortunate in his community, thank you.

To Roland Babin of Caplan, who spends 20 to 30 hours each week working with youth and seniors, thank you.

To Eleanor Beattie of Montreal, who works tirelessly to help people with intellectual disabilities gain their independence and grow as individuals, thank you.

To Thérèse Bélanger Gauthier of Montreal, who comforted and supported terminally ill patients in the palliative care unit at Montreal’s Notre-Dame hospital, and who is currently fighting for her life, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To her daughter who is representing her here today, our thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.

To Marcellin Bernatchez of Montmagny, whose commitment to youth and his community is remarkable, thank you.

To Guy Côté of Beauport, who is always concerned about the well-being of his community and works to help families, the less fortunate, seniors and the sick, thank you.

To Charles-Edouard Généreux of Saint-Pie-de-Guire, who is a role model in his community and a man who truly lives up to his name, thank you.

To Céline Lemay Massicotte of Cap-Santé, who is committed to organizing blood drives and helping the youth and sick in her community, thank you.

To Jules Pinard of Trois-Rivières, who has dedicated himself to the development and well-being of his community, thank you.

To Jeanne Tremblay-Thibeault of Baie-Saint-Paul, a woman of action who shares her love for life with the seniors, sick, and less fortunate in her community, thank you.

To Jacqueline Verrette of Montreal, who tries to humanize the prison system and to give former inmates, youth offenders and the homeless the opportunity to live in dignity, thank you.

To René Villemure of Trois-Rivières, who became a quadriplegic after a mountain-bike accident and has transformed his ordeal into a challenge to serve as an example to young people, thank you.

You are shining examples of commitment for all of us and for future generations, who are following in your footsteps and also looking for ways to express their willingness to share.

Thank you to each and every one of you. As I like to say, you show us so eloquently that our hearts should be as big and boundless as Canada itself!