Canada Day 2020
Video / July 1, 2020
Transcript
I want to wish all Canadians a Happy Canada Day. Today, Canadians celebrate our great country and the opportunity that comes with being Canadian.
On this day, I want to send a special message to our deployed military members and their families who serve alongside them. Know that Canadians everywhere are proud of the important work that you do to protect our values and the most vulnerable around the world.
Thank you for everything you do.
The Defence Team – both soldiers and civilians – always puts Canadians first.
And right now, they are working in local communities to help stop the spread of COVID-19…
And around the world in operations to keep Canadians safe.
And they remain ready to help us here at home if natural disasters strike…
As we celebrate Canada, we have to recognize that for all Canadians, including our CAF members, these past few months have truly been a test of adaptability and resilience in the face of crisis.
Though all Canadians are celebrating, I also ask each of us to take a moment to remember our Canadian Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives recently in the Ionian Sea and here at home in Kamloops, British Columbia. They are heroes and their families deserve our gratitude.
I am proud that as Canadians, we have worked together, whether frontline workers, businesses, or the military, to fight the spread of the pandemic…
And despite the challenges, we’ve all adapted to a new normal. These trials have made us stronger as a nation…
A nation built on common values of peace, diversity, inclusion and equality – which is worth protecting and celebrating every day.
But as we celebrate Canada and its diversity, the recent Black Lives Matter rallies have shown that we need to recognize the systemic racism that still holds far too many Canadians back.
We need to do better, each and every day, to make sure that every Canadian, no matter their gender or if they are Black, Indigenous, LGTBQ2 or a person of colour, are treated equally in our society.
Across the country, Canada Day festivities will look quite different than they usually do.
While our gatherings have been limited to keep our communities safe, I encourage all of you to show your pride in being Canadian through participating in online celebrations.
I know I will be participating in various activities online…
And you can join us on social media to celebrate Canada Day with the #CanadaDay and #MyCAF.
Thank you to the Defence Team and to all military families for your dedicated service to Canada, to Canadians, and to our values.
And to all Canadians: Happy Canada Day. Stay healthy, and stay safe.
Joyeuse fête du Canada.