Speaking Notes for The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence - Invictus Games Flag Tour, Vancouver, BC, August 19, 2017

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Fellow citizens of the great city of Vancouver, good afternoon. Bonjour.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to the 2017 Invictus Games Flag Tour celebration. What a momentous occasion!

Thank you to all our flagbearers, organizers and volunteers. You do us proud! 

Canada is deeply honoured to host these third Invictus Games, the first ever held on Canadian soil, and the largest since Prince Harry founded the movement in 2014.

I say this with conviction — that few international sporting events are as uplifting as the Invictus Games.
 
In exactly 35 days, 550 of the world’s most courageous athletes from 17 countries will assemble in Toronto. There, they will demonstrate how they have overcome obstacles that most of us could never begin to imagine.

These athletes are servicewomen and men — active members and veterans alike — who have suffered a serious injury or illness while serving their country.

They willingly put their lives on the line for all of us, at great risk to their own physical and mental health and well-being.

And now they are healing, recovering and competing to the very best of their ability.

In the process, they show us the breadth, depth and unconquerable nature of the human spirit.

I have spoken with Canadian Armed Forces members who have taken part in previous Invictus Games. They tell me it is unlike any other sporting event one will ever experience.

The Games encapsulate the highest ideals we cherish in sport, and in our military service people: perseverance, steadfast determination, and overcoming adversity despite steep odds.

And this year, the Games offer us an exceptional opportunity to welcome the world and marvel at the power of sport to transform, right here in Canada.

We are so proud to host these heroes in 2017.

The Invictus Games are taking place in a significant year for Canada. We mark 75 years since the Dieppe Raid, and 100 years since the Battle of Vimy Ridge — significant milestones that have shaped and defined Canada — and 150 years since Confederation.

These milestones provide a unique way for all of us to honour our ill, wounded and injured soldiers and their families.  

As Minister of National Defence, it is clear to me that our women and men in uniform are — without question — our most important strength. Our people are key to everything we do, and we have a sacred obligation to look after their wellbeing. 

This includes making sure that our ill and injured military members, both Regular and Reserve force, receive the care and support they need, when they need it.

As part of Canada’s new defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are wholly committed to assisting members during their recovery through medical treatment, support programs, and a renewed mental health care strategy.

One existing program that makes possible Team Canada’s participation in the Invictus Games is the Canadian Armed Forces’ Soldier On program.  

Soldier On supports currently serving and former members who are working hard to overcome physical or mental illness, or injury, through sport and physical activity.

In fact, many of our service personnel credit this program with helping them realize their full potential and find new ways to soldier on.

In March, I had the opportunity to visit our athletes at Team Canada’s Invictus training camp in Victoria. I was given proper instruction from our athletes on sprinting, relay and rowing, but it was pretty clear that I need more training.

Soldier On has assisted many of these current and former military members on the road to recovery. Many will be representing Canada next month in Toronto.  

One such member is Vancouver native Pearce Bourassa, a retired Leading Seaman who has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Afghanistan with the Canadian Armed Forces.

Pearce fought his way through this illness with a rehabilitation process that included tennis — a sport he enjoys so much that he got an invitation to join Team Canada for the Invictus Games. He is also training in cycling and athletics.

Pearce is a role model for his peers and his journey is an inspiration to all Canadians. We look forward to supporting him and all serving members and veterans training hard to represent Canada at the Games.
                                                                                                            
In closing, let me say the Canadian Armed Forces is working closely with the event organizers to make sure these third Invictus Games are a positive, inspirational and memorable experience for everyone — and the best games yet.

Thank you, merci.