St. John’s, Newfoundland, Thursday, May 21, 2015

Thank you all for being here on the eve of the 2015 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.

My wife, Sharon, and I are delighted to see all of you here in St. John’s. And we are so pleased to be back in Newfoundland and Labrador—particularly during Innovation Week!

Each of you has made contributions to Canada in a wide variety of fields, and your leadership and support of this event are so very important.

Why?

Because it sends a signal to all of the delegates that this conference matters.

And this year in particular, it means that you think that leadership and innovation are an important area of focus for Canada’s next generation of leaders.

Indeed, creating a culture of innovation is more than important. It’s urgent.

We’re so fortunate to live in a country with a standard of living that ranks among the very best in the world. But we can’t afford to be complacent.

Canada must become more innovative if we’re to maintain our quality of life in a rapidly changing, profoundly globalized world.

Creating this culture of innovation will require leadership and vision right across this country.

Those who are participating in this conference can make a real difference to our success.

The delegates are among the most promising, early- to mid-career professionals working in Canada today.

The next two weeks will offer them a marvellous opportunity to connect with other Canadians, learn more about this vast and diverse country, and focus on the role that leaders can play in stimulating, driving, managing and diffusing innovation in their organizations and communities.

Each of you knows more than a thing or two about this kind of creativity and leadership.

I often say to people in leadership positions that you should never underestimate the power of your example, of the influence you can have on others.

So thank you again for showing your support for the next generation of leaders and innovators.

I wish you the very best.