Montréal, Wednesday, December 14, 2011

It is a pleasure to join you this afternoon to illuminate this wonderful clock tower in the historic Old Port of Montréal.

In his great symphonic tribute to the St. Lawrence, pianist and composer André Gagnon evoked the many moods of this river that is so important to Canada.

And I think the light we are about to shine on this architectural marvel introduces a dynamic and exciting new mood to these shores.

This iconic structure has been a fixture of the Montréal waterfront since 1922, when it was built to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of sailors in Canada’s merchant marine during the First World War.

Canadian sailors again passed through this port during the Second World War, serving with great courage as they formed convoys and protected supply lines in support of the Allied war effort.

Parts of the St. Lawrence River itself were turned into naval battlefields, and many lives were tragically lost at sea during the fighting.

This story, and that of everyday life in the Port of Montréal during the war years, is wonderfully told in Action Stations!, a virtual exhibit created by the Montréal Science Centre and featured on the Quays of the Old Port website.

I want to say how delighted I was to present the talented people behind Action Stations! with the first-ever Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Museums earlier this week at Rideau Hall.

It is a first-rate exhibit covering a fascinating—and often underappreciated—part of our history, and I encourage everyone to pay it a visit.

This clock tower and its location on the shores of the St. Lawrence remind us of the central role this river and this community have played in the history of Canada.

The written record dates back to Jacques Cartier, and we know that the Iroquois village of Hochelaga he found nearby extends even further back in time.

Perhaps it is appropriate, then, to recall the past by means of this marvelous clock tower, even as we look ahead to our shared future in this place.

I want to thank and congratulate everyone who has worked so hard to reinvigorate this important landmark.

Thanks to you, Montréal shines a little brighter tonight!

Thank you.