Quebec City, Monday, September 19, 2011

What a pleasure it is to be here today for this presentation of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. 

I am delighted to have the opportunity to recognize your achievements here at the historic Chateau Frontenac, and in the City of Québec, which dates back even further to the time of Samuel de Champlain.

I am inspired each time I come to this city, which resonates with so much history, because I believe that our remarkable past can provide us with ideas and principles for action for the future. And I am doubly inspired to be here today, because each one of you fills me with hope and optimism for the future.

In fact, you are already making an impact on our country. That is precisely why you are here.

Prior to my installation as governor general last year, I had spent most of my adult life in a university setting, as a student, teacher and administrator. But all of the important things in life I have learned from my children. All five of my children—all daughters—are in the public service.

I entered university at age 18 and found the place so delightful and enticing that, until age 69 and a half, I never left. One reason is my great respect for young people, who are the heart and soul of any university or college. And indeed, that is true of all of our communities, in Canada and around the world.

Wherever we see young people, we also see hope and the desire to change things for the better.

Let me tell you a story. A professor stood before his class with a number of items in front of him: a large empty jar, some rocks, a box of pebbles, a box of sand and a can of Coke. When class began, he picked up the empty jar and proceeded to fill it with the rocks. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up the box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. Again, they agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up the box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up whatever space was left in the jar.

The demonstration, he explained, was like life. The rocks are the important things—family, your partner, your health, your children, and, yes, even your education—anything that was so important to you that if it were lost, you would be devastated. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like a job, a house or a car. The sand is everything else, the little things in life.

If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. There will always be time for the little things. Take care of the rocks first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

There was one last item on the professor’s desk. One brave student asked, “And what about the can of Coke?”

The professor smiled and answered, “Never forget to share a cool drink with a friend.”

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a wonderful tribute to the dreams and achievements of youth. And, by encouraging excellence, these awards make a vital contribution to our future well-being.

In 2017, Canadians will celebrate their 150th anniversary as a nation, and I want to invite you to imagine the kind of country you want to live in as we approach this milestone. Our unique Confederation was the result of years of careful planning and consideration of the true nature of our society, as well as an opportunity for our forebears to dream of the future.

Similarly, I think that our approaching 150th birthday is a perfect occasion to imagine and to plan for the future.

One thing is certain: your energy and contributions are essential to the smarter, more caring nation to which we aspire.

I encourage you to continue to work hard and to contribute to your communities and to this country.

Congratulations to you all on this marvelous achievement, and on behalf of all Canadians, thank you.

In the words of George Bernard Shaw, a famous British author: “Some people see things as they are and wonder ‘Why?’ We dream of things that ought to be and ask, ‘Why not?’”