I have the honour to inform the House that when this House did attend His Excellency this day in the Senate chamber, His Excellency was pleased to make a speech to both Houses of Parliament. To prevent mistakes I have obtained a copy which is as follows:
Honourable Members of the Senate,
Members of the House of Commons,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
My wife, Diana, and I were happy to welcome Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh when they arrived in Canada last June and to be their hosts during their stay in the National Capital over Canada Day.
As Governor General I have visited every province and territory, and I wish every Canadian could share that experience. Our cities, towns, and villages reflect the diversity of all those who have come to this country. And yet our communities, whether on the coasts or the prairies, whether in the woodlands or on the northern tundra, show the same friendliness, openness, and generosity.
People care for each other in many ways, and they give their time and their support to their community.
When I became Governor General, I stated my intention to honour the generosity of Canadians, especially as demonstrated by volunteers. We have now created the Caring Canadian Award to recognize the most dedicated among them.
In my functions, I visit with many units of the Canadian Forces. They have impressed me with their dedication, as demonstrated by their peacekeeping role, their heroic work in search and rescue, and their immediate response to natural disasters such as the Saguenay region and Red River floods.
Let me mention another source of great pride: the proclamation of the twenty-first of June, the longest day of the year, as National Aboriginal Day—a day to honour the First Peoples of this land.