Rideau Hall, Friday, February 29, 2008

As I read today’s citations, it occurred to me that reality can sometimes be more powerful than fiction.

Books, movies and television often endow heroes with powers that others do not have.

They can fly through the air, possess superhuman strength, see through walls, or become invisible.

And because they have these powers, their mission is to rescue others and defeat the bad guys.

But those of you being honoured here today don’t have those supernatural powers…that I know of!

And yet you did not hesitate to risk your own lives to save another.

The dangers were unthinkable.

You fought off ferocious animals.

You threw yourselves into cold waters.

You charged headlong into a burning building.

You chased an armed man.

You parachuted into a blinding storm.

You pulled a driver from a vehicle about to explode.

You even risked your lives to save people who wanted to end it all.

Make no mistake: you have powers of your own.

They are inside you.

They are your courage, your determination, your compassion, your selflessness, your respect for life.

In an exemplary way, you have shown us that ordinary human beings can achieve extraordinary results.

We sometimes feel as though we are living in a world where individualism has triumphed over our shared values.

A world in which the “every man for himself and his clan” mentality predominates.

You stand as proof that this is simply not true.

You rekindle hope in the hearts of those who have succumbed to cynicism and disillusionment.

You remind us that we are all connected because we all belong to the human family.

You remind us that we have a responsibility to one another.

It is the responsibility to stand together.

And above all, you give us courage.

Courage to reach out to someone else, to act and to say yes to life, so precious and so wonderful.

Is that not what bravery is?

To move beyond ourselves to reach another, to help others when they need it most, without hesitation, without backing down, even to give one’s life?

What a privilege it is for me today to honour the merit of women and men who embody the noblest expression of bravery.

On behalf of all Canadians, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. For the lives you have saved. For the lives you have enriched by your example.