Rideau Hall, Friday, September 12, 2014

Welcome, all of you, to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada, for this very special celebration.

You are here today for this Order of Canada investiture because of your outstanding contributions to your communities, to Canada and to the world.

This is therefore a celebration of your lives and work, and of our country as a whole. 

You excel in a variety of fields and come from a wide range of backgrounds so I cannot help but think that you represent the wonderful diversity of Canada.

Together, you are proof that diversity is indeed one of our country’s strengths.

This is, in fact, a very special Order of Canada investiture. It is taking place during a most auspicious year: the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Québec conferences, both of which paved the way for Confederation.

I have just returned from the City of Québec, where I attended the dedication of a statue to Étienne-Paschal Taché, the chairman of the Québec Conference and a too-often-forgotten Father of Confederation.

I also travelled to Charlottetown earlier this summer to take part in events commemorating the pivotal meetings that took place there in September 1864.

One of my engagements in Charlottetown was a photo-op that included my wife, Sharon, and I, the lieutenant-governors and commissioners, as well as and their spouses, recreating the famous photograph of the Fathers of Confederation in front of Province House.

I must say, it was a real thrill to play the part of John A. Macdonald on the front steps of the birthplace of Confederation!

It may also have been the first time in Canadian history that a governor general posed as a prime minister!

On a more serious note, these important anniversaries bring a number of observations to mind.

The first is the great spirit of partnership, compromise and camaraderie that prevailed among the delegates in Charlottetown and Québec.

The second is the ambition and pragmatism of those early nation-builders, and their vision for a strong, united Canada in which cultural, religious and linguistic differences would be respected and celebrated.

And the third observation that comes to mind as we celebrate the events of 1864 is how very young this country is.

Of course, 150 years is a significant milestone, and we have all inherited a rich and complex pre- and post-Confederation history.

But measured against the span of human history, a century-and-a-half is not a very long time.

My point is that the work of building Canada did not end with Confederation in 1867, but continues to this very day with the work you are doing, in diverse fields, in communities in every province and territory.

On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to thank you for the important contributions you make to our well-being. 

As members, officers and companions of the Order of Canada, you are leaders in shaping and strengthening this nation. Your motto is Desiderantes meliorem patriam: “They Desire a Better Country.”

Later today, we will gather for an official photograph, one that echoes the famous photo taken in 1864 in front of Province House.

When you look at our portrait in the days to come, I ask that you think about the similarities between the two photos, taken 150 years apart. Try to imagine future generations looking at our portrait, and how you want them to view your contributions to this country.

None of us is John A. Macdonald or George-Étienne Cartier, of course, but each of us has an important role to play in building Canada.

Thank you again for your outstanding service to your communities and to this country, and congratulations on receiving this most deserved honour.