Rideau Hall, Friday, May 3, 2013 

Welcome all of you to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada.

This has been the home and workplace of every governor general since Confederation. In fact, the Viscount Monck, Canada’s first governor general, would often travel by boat from Rideau Hall to Parliament because of the poor condition of the roads in those days.

I know that even today, spring takes a toll on our roads in this country, so I hope you enjoyed smooth sailing on your respective journeys to Rideau Hall! 

Certainly, you have travelled here from far and wide.

You come from northern Canada, from the West, from Quebec and Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. In this sense alone, you represent the great diversity of this vast country of ours.

But you are also representative in another sense: in the remarkable depth and breadth of your experience and abilities.

You are public servants, former politicians, artists, performers and producers.

You are athletes, advocates, teachers, caregivers and entrepreneurs.

You volunteer, you give, and you dedicate countless hours of work and thought to your chosen fields.

And now, you are here in this ballroom together, as members, officers and companions of the Order of Canada.

I believe that the single greatest attribute of the Order of Canada is the incredible variety of its membership. It truly reflects the inherent strength of diversity, which is surely one of the defining characteristics of our country.

Your diversity reminds me, in fact, of the broad range of views and abilities of those leaders who were present at the creation of Canada, back in Lord Monck’s day.

The so-called “Fathers of Confederation” were a disparate bunch, but they were united by the shared project of Canada.

To quote from the introduction to Canada’s Founding Debates:

“They bring to the enterprise broad knowledge of law, history, political science, and modern political thought. They cite British, American, and French authorities; they study European constitutions and compare federal systems. […] They draw on British political thinkers of their day, especially John Stuart Mill…they are clearly steeped in the thought of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau. They illustrate their arguments with references to European history through the centuries, the great poets, and the Bible.”

Now, certainly, the founders of this country were products of their time. They had their blind spots, and there were many who were not in the room for those debates. But I think their breadth of learning and experience—and that of those who elected them to office—helped to shape our remarkably successful federation.

Let us remember: Canada was, and is, perhaps foremost an experiment in tolerance and diversity. We strive for equality of opportunity and excellence.

Today, you occupy many of the positions of leadership in this country and beyond. Your conversations and debates may differ from those of the 1860s, but make no mistake: today, you are the nation builders.

Let me share with you one specific way in which Order of Canada members are coming together to serve our country.

In 2017, we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation and the 50th anniversary of the Order of Canada. To mark these occasions, we are working with youth groups and with a core group of Order of Canada members. Together, we are looking forward to marking these important milestones and defining Canada’s aspirations for the next 50 years.

I am so pleased to invest you into the Order of Canada, the centerpiece of our country’s honours system.

DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM: They desire a better country.

That is why you are here today, and why I am so grateful for your contributions that shape our ongoing experiment called Canada.

Congratulations on your achievements, and on behalf of all Canadians, thank you.