Rideau Hall, Wednesday, March 5, 2008

I would like to share with you my great admiration for the work you do every day for the benefit of all Canadians.

I want you to know how grateful we are for your dedication, your sense of duty and your professionalism.

I believe it is important that we recognize your efforts and the efforts of the women and men who, like you, with tireless conviction, administer, manage, protect and leverage the public good for the benefit of current and future generations.

I have always believed in the notion of public good and in togetherness.

That is why for years I put my heart and soul into my work as a journalist on public television.

I wanted to take a closer look at society, at the world, so that I might explain them better, bring them that much closer to my fellow citizens.

I wanted my own insight and awareness to help shape our understanding of events, a responsibility I took seriously.

I wanted my work and ideas to serve as a vehicle for a wide range of viewpoints, thinking always first and foremost of the public interest.

Because I believe that the more information and ideas are able to circulate, the more our fellow citizens will have access to them, and the greater their opportunity to participate in the democratic life of our societies.

I am telling you this because this conviction continues to guide me as governor general.

I see the institution that I represent as a place for reflection, dialogue and sharing for all Canadians.

The “public service,” in its literal sense, which for me is its noblest expression, echoes this commitment.

I see in your daily work far more than simple personal interest.

I see the fundamental role that it plays in the world today, where our lives are inextricably linked.

Because in this day and age, we can no longer focus solely on regional and national realities to develop public policies and address the needs of citizens.

The major debates of our time extend far beyond our borders. Issues like environmental protection, security, health, culture, sharing of knowledge and economic prosperity affect all of humanity.

It is impossible to go it alone in a world where interdependency is the watchword.

This is where the public service comes in, serving as a link between the citizenry and a world in constant evolution, accessible as never before.

Architect and artisan in equal measure, the public service helps to shape and implement the vision of the country that we want to build, based on the choices our society makes and the role it wants to play on the world stage.

Here in Canada, we are fortunate to have an extraordinary public service, both because of the women and men who have committed themselves to it and because of the work they do with caring, integrity and impartiality.

And we are fortunate to have senior managers who are experienced, passionate about serving and contributing to the betterment of society.

You are proof of this today.

I was impressed by the achievements of the five people we are honouring this afternoon.

I noticed that you represent all aspects of preserving and celebrating our country.

Soil enrichment.

Environmental protection.

The maintenance of an often fragile balance between the health of animals and the earth, which sustain our very existence, and our need to utilize these resources.

The devastating power of nature and our response to it.

The preservation of the places and monuments across this country that mark our passage in the world.

So many dimensions to your work, touching the lives of millions, of your fellow citizens, and shaping our identity and our impact on the world.

Today, we pay tribute to those of you for whom public service is not just a profession, a career, but a true calling.

This calling must not fade.

Your passion to serve must not diminish.

Let them instead inspire those who follow in your footsteps and embody a promise of renewal.

Thank you for giving your all—your talents and energy, your creativity and daring—in service of this ideal that we hold so dear, the ideal that is Canada itself.

Thank you, one and all!