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More News...
July 01, 2010
Canada Day Celebrations on Parliament Hill
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Opening of La Place de la Francophonie
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Occasion of the conference on The Economic Crisis and the Cultural Sector organized by Culture Montréal
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Occasion of a keynote luncheon speech at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
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Celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Official Languages Act and an announcement regarding the Language Rights Support Program
July 31, 2009
Canada Music Fund
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Announcement of Funding for the Dominion Institute's Memory Project: Stories of the Second World War
April 06, 2009
On the Signing of the Canada-British Columbia Agreement on Official Languages 2009-2010 - 2010-2011
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Jules-Verne High School
March 09, 2009
Canada Media Fund
March 08, 2009
20th Festival du Bois
February 07, 2009
Launch of Spirit of BC Week
February 17, 2009
On the occasion of the Creation of the Canada Periodical Fund
January 13, 2009
The launch of the 2009 Canada Day Poster Challenge
January 12, 2009
Sir John A. Macdonald Day Celebrations
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Speeches
Sir John A. Macdonald Day Celebrations
Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
January 12, 2009 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Good afternoon, everyone. I suddenly feel like a teacher! Let me begin by saying how pleased I am to be with you today to celebrate Sir John A. Macdonald Day. More than just a face on our ten-dollar bill, he was one of Canada's greatest nation builders. As many of you know, John Alexander Macdonald emigrated from Scotland as a young boy and grew up in Kingston, Ontario. And because of his perseverance and dedication to his new country, he became an elected official before he was thirty. His story definitely influenced my choice of career. He was one of our Fathers of Confederation, and he became Canada's first Prime Minister. He spent 19 years in office, which makes him the second longest serving Prime Minister of Canada. Of course, Sir John A. was responsible for a lot more than just confederation — not to downplay his achievement! He promoted the construction of a national railway to link Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans and helped bring people of all backgrounds together. All of his government policies — the acquisition of the northwest, the transcontinental railroad, the National Policy of tariff protection, and skillful negotiations with Britain and the United States — were designed to strengthen the new Canadian nation. Sir John A. was also behind the creation of Canada's first national park, in Banff, Alberta. We are here today thanks in large part to the Dominion Institute and its Macdonald–Laurier initiative, which encourages Canadians to celebrate Laurier Day and Macdonald Day. Our Government also wants to encourage Canadians — especially young Canadians like you — to celebrate these days and to take an interest in history. That is why we were happy to be a partner in this initiative. I know that all of you are history fans, so you may want to check out the new Web page portal on the Canadian Heritage website that makes it easy to find a variety of federal government sites that offer more information about Sir John A. Macdonald. And, if you haven't already discovered it, the Dominion Institute website features biographical information, historical photos, and speeches by Sir John A. You might want to check out the recently added bilingual quiz on his many accomplishments. We will actually be testing your knowledge a little later. All of you young women and men are the leaders of tomorrow. And understanding where we come from — and the mistakes and good decisions we have made — will equip you to better guide us into the future. So, I invite all of you to reflect on the proud history of Canada as an independent country that has welcomed people of all backgrounds from around the globe. Thank you. |
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