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Mr. Speaker –
One of the greatest choices a person can make in their life is the choice to serve their fellow citizens. Maybe it’s in government, in the military, or in a police force. In whatever capacity one serves, dedicating your life to making Canada – and indeed, the world – a better place is a calling of the highest order.
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Thank you all for being here today.
Last week I had the honour of meeting with Her Majesty The Queen, in Scotland.
It was a particularly poignant visit, taking place as it did during both the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and the 65th year of Her Majesty’s service as Canada’s Head of State.
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Hello everyone! Happy Canada Day!
What a crowd!
You know, I’m pretty confident that we’re breaking records here on Parliament Hill. And we should be, because today, together, we’recelebrating Canada 150!
I’d like to acknowledge that we are on the ancestral lands of the Algonquin people.
And I want to start with a thank you. To the hundreds of thousands here on the Hill and across our nation’s capital, thank you for being here.
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Consider:
The price they paid.
The burden they bore.
The country they made.
Seven thousand and four Canadians were wounded in the battle that began here, 100 years ago today. Three thousand, five hundred and ninety-eight Canadians died.
This, from a population, in 1917, of just eight million.
Think of it, for a moment. The enormity of the price they paid.
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Good evening.
Thank you Dan, for the kind introduction. And thank you all for being here. To the many policy makers and industry leaders here today, thank you.
And, of course, to the organizers of CERAWeek – thank you so much for this award. It truly is an honour – for me personally, for Canada’s superb natural resources minister, Jim Carr, who is here today, and for the government of Canada.
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Good evening, everyone. Thank you all for the warm welcome.
It is an honour to be here. It’s truly a privilege just to be invited to the St. Matthew’s Day Banquet, and an even greater privilege to be one of your keynotes this evening.
I’d like to start by thanking Mayor Scholz for his gracious invitation. And to speak after Foreign Minister Gabriel is no small feat, but I’ll do my modest, Canadian best.
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President Tusk, President Tajani, distinguished Parliamentarians, ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning. It is a privilege to be here today. I’m told that this marks the first address to the EU Parliament by a sitting Canadian Prime Minister, so thank you for allowing me this honour.
As you know, I was in Brussels not too long ago to formally sign the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, and the Strategic Partnership Agreement.
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Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for taking the time to join us today.
Just over a year ago, Canadians elected a new government. Their marching orders for us were clear: build an economy that works for me and my family, and protect the environment so we can leave a better, cleaner country to our kids.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have had many opportunities over the past year – over the past number of years, really – to reflect on Canada’s success.
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Thank you Chrystia, for that kind introduction, and thank you also for achieving important progress for Canadian canola farmers, including your father on his farm in Peace River, Alberta. The work that you've done over these past few days, indeed, over these past many months, has been extraordinary on so many files in helping Canadians, in helping build relationships around the world.
Thank you, Chrystia, for all you’ve done.
