Every Remembrance Day he came for tea (and scotch!) and was a vivid reminder of our country's heroism,

[The fight for freedom was] a daunting task, ... but he did it like his comrades - without fanfare, without hesitation, with great pride and determination.

Knowing better than anyone my own shortcomings, I undertake this task with humility and ask you all, as Canadians, to help me.

Stumbling through darkness and racing through light, we have persisted in the creation of a Canadian civilization.

To be complex does not mean to be fragmented. This is the paradox and the genius of our Canadian civilization.

Sometimes we read or hear too much news that makes us fearful or suspicious of others. We can forget that most of the people that we know, or at least encounter regularly, are decent and friendly.