Transcript - Prime Minister Trudeau celebrates Canada Day on Parliament Hill
Prime Minister Trudeau celebrates Canada Day on Parliament Hill
Happy Canada Day! Joyeuse fête du Canada!
We begin, of course, by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Algonquin people.
My friends, what a pleasure is it to be with you here today to celebrate Canada and Canadians.
Canada Day on Parliament Hill is something of a tradition for many of us and I couldn’t be happier to be back with you again this year.
Because last year, as you might remember, we decided to do things a little bit differently.
We started the day in Leamington, Ontario, before heading to Regina, Saskatchewan, and ending in Dawson City, Yukon.
Some people might think that we chose to end the day in Dawson City because the sun sets after midnight there so people can party later, but that was not the only reason why we made the trip.
Many will remember that a few weeks before Canada Day, the U.S. government announced its intention to impose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.
The steel and aluminum tariffs created a lot of uncertainty for thousands of people, so last year’s celebrations were bittersweet for many communities.
But in Leamington, in Regina, and in Dawson City, we actually witnessed something very special and very Canadian.
We saw people being there for each other during tough times.
Neighbours organizing community dinners. Friends checking in with each other. Grandparents coming to town to watch the kids, and give the parents a break.
And in the weeks that followed, a wave of solidarity swept across the country. We put up a united front, we leaned on each other, we had each other’s backs, and we didn’t get pushed around. It’s not just what we do when the going gets tough, it’s who we are as Canadians.
My friends, this is a perfect example of what we can achieve when we lift each other up.
Well, the way we came together during the past year should not surprise anyone.
Our country has been shaped by people who support and help each other and work hard.
People who choose generosity, compassion and hope.
And we are determined to apply these values—which have ensured our country’s success—on a daily basis.
Every day, Canadians show the rest of the world that a multicultural and inclusive society is a strong society.
A resilient, forward-looking society ready to meet the major challenges of our time, whether it is climate change, reconciliation or gender equality.
Canadians have so much to be proud of this year, and I’m not just talking about the Raptors.
Since 2015, you’ve created one million jobs, the majority of which are full-time.
As of this May, 85 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted and 825,000 people, including almost 300,000 kids, are no longer living in poverty in Canada.
This is who we are as Canadians.
This is what we can do when we work together, and look out for each other.
As a country, it’s important that we celebrate our accomplishments. That we take pride in how far we’ve come. But we can’t forget that Canada did not happen by accident and won’t continue without effort and hard work.
We can and we must continue to make our country even better.
We owe it to the parents picking up extra shifts to give their kids the best possible start in life.
We owe it to the newcomer building a new life, to the teacher inspiring our kids, to the community leader trying to enact change.
We owe it to Canadians who, every day, make this country stronger with acts of kindness, courage, and compassion, both big and small.
I have no doubt that together, we can continue to build a country we can all be proud to call home.
Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate Canada, yes, but especially to celebrate Canadians.
Because it is you who makes our country the best country in the world.
Happy Canada Day everyone!