Toronto, Friday, September 21, 2012

What a thrill it is to be here tonight to celebrate with you at the tail end of such an incredible summer of Olympic excellence!

It is fitting that we wrap up this Olympic season by honouring some of our greatest athletes, so let me begin by saying to each of this year’s inductees how very deserving you are of your place in the Hall of Fame.

On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my congratulations on your remarkable achievements.

Earlier this year, I was deeply honoured to accept patronage of the Canadian Olympic Committee. As governor general, I hope to foster a smarter, more caring Canada, and I am proud to lend my support to our Olympians and to the values they represent.

And I am equally honoured to cheer on our Paralympians, who pursue their dreams with such determination.

The Olympics appeal to the best in us. They provide a wonderful opportunity for Canadians and for people of all nations to shine together, celebrating the joy of effort and the principles of fairness, equality and friendly competition.

The Games also represent one of the clearest pinnacles of excellence in our world, and the stories and experiences of our Olympic athletes inspire and instruct us in so many ways.

Every time an Olympian competes, I find myself thinking of the incredible skill and perseverance needed to reach the Games—as well as the support and encouragement of those who help along the way.

Just reaching the Olympics—let alone winning a medal or being inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame—is a truly remarkable accomplishment. This level of excellence is rare, and I am always fascinated to hear from athletes themselves about what it takes to be an Olympian.

One essential element is focus. As the great Ken Dryden—a six-time Stanley Cup winner, former federal cabinet minister and bestselling author—has written:

“Being the best has to do with being so absorbed in what you’re doing that you have no time for attitude. You have no time for yourself separate from what you’re doing. What you are doing, you know, is more important than you are. And because you know this, no matter how good you are, no matter how good you become, you are never good enough. The great always fall short in their own minds; the great remain fiercely proud, yet humble. They know they are not as good as they seem to be.”

This statement speaks to the remarkable humility that is invariably demonstrated by our greatest Olympians. I am certain that each new member of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame is deeply humbled to be honoured in this way—and in a very real sense, that is precisely why they are now Hall of Famers.

To be humble, yet confident in your abilities and committed to hard work: that is the mark of Olympic excellence.

And that is truly something to cheer for.

Bravo to you all!