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Speech by
Lucienne Robillard,
President of the Treasury Board, and
Member of Parliament for Westmount-Ville-Marie
June 10, 2002
Ottawa
Ladies and Gentlemen: like Jim Judd, I am
delighted to be with you this afternoon.
Participating in ceremonies like this one brings
some of the high points in my mandate as President of the
Treasury Board. Award presentation ceremonies are very important,
because they enable us to recognize the exceptional contributions
made by some employees of the Public Service of Canada. They also
give us an opportunity to think about the values that make our
Public Service one of the best in the world.
Day after day, some 155,000 public servants,
women and men, work with dedication and commitment. Day after
day, they strive to provide continuity in a country which
hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world choose as
their host country every year.
If I could choose only one striking example of
this dedication, it would certainly be the response to the tragic
events of September 11. Across the country, Public Service
employees rallied, our partners from the Public Service Alliance
set aside the pressure tactics being used in the negotiations,
and they all responded to the urgency of the situation. I believe
that this generous, spontaneous gesture should be recognized.
They continued their efforts over the fall and
winter, from the immediate challenges in terms of security and
maintaining order to the development of laws governing public
safety and budget initiatives, while making ongoing efforts to
counter terrorism and implement the Canada – U.S. Smart
Border Declaration.
The challenges awaiting the Public Service in the
future will probably not be as massive as those related to the
events of September 11. However, we must still make every effort
to provide the services our fellow citizens expect of us.
Since joining the Canadian government, I have had
the pleasure of working closely with a large number of women and
men who are members of Canada's Public Service. And I have
made a number of observations. Crises and problems will always be
with us – in the country, in the world, and in the
government. That is why we are in the Public Service: to try to
make a difference. We do not live in a perfect world, but each
time we find a positive solution to a problem, and each time we
help a family to realize its dreams, we are helping to create a
better world.
Although this motivation to find positive
solutions to our problems is discreetly worn, it is nevertheless
deep-rooted. That is what distinguishes us as Canadians, and it
is this quality, shared by our award-winners, that we are
honouring today.
Before moving on to the awards being presented
today, I would like to take the opportunity to inaugurate
National Public Service Week 2002.
This year, the theme for National Public Service
Week is "Supporting what Canadians value most". This is the tenth
year we have celebrated the contribution made by the members of
our Public Service to the quality of life enjoyed by
Canadians.
In anticipation of the mass retirement of the
baby boomers, we must be able to encourage young people to
perpetuate the noble tradition of the Public Service. To become
an employer of choice, the Public Service must build itself a
reputation for excellence, innovation and creativity. That is
what we are working to do.
As part of the renewal of the Public Service, we
have undertaken to create and maintain an exemplary workplace,
where the employees can learn and will be motivated to place the
interests of Canadians first. At the same time, we advocate a
clear set of values, we promote a culture of learning, pride and
recognition, and we seek to build a Public Service that is
representative of the rich diversity of Canada and Canadians, and
that is a vibrant example of the linguistic duality which
distinguishes us. We hope that the Public Service of the future
will be based on these values, not simply founded on procedures
and processes.
The contributions by this year's award
recipients have advanced various sectors from sea to sea: from
protection of the environment to the negotiation of agreements
with fishers in Nova Scotia, including improvement of our
immigration and translation systems and strengthening of the
government's credibility. Their work embodies the values to
which the Public Service aspires – and these are only the
best examples. I can assure you that there have been many other
positive achievements throughout the government.
The diversity of their contributions demonstrates
to us and to all Canadians that Canada's Public Service can
offer useful, stimulating jobs. It also demonstrates that Public
Service employees have unequalled opportunities to make a
palpable difference in the lives of their fellow citizens every
day.
I would like to add that some of the people being
honoured today are helping us build an enhanced and more
inclusive workplace. We are also here to honour the recipients of
the Employment Equity and Diversity Award.
Over the past 12 months, people and teams have
shown commitment and ingenuity in promoting employment equity and
diversity. The wealth of this diversity and inclusiveness is
essential to the excellence and relevance of our Public Service.
It is the bastion of our democracy.
I am delighted to highlight the work of four
persons and two teams who, like many others, have seized the
opportunity to introduce a new corporate culture for a
representative and inclusive Public Service. It is also my
pleasure to present a member of the Public Service with an award
recognizing his lifelong commitment to serving our equity and
diversity objectives.
The recipients of the Award of Excellence and the
Award for Employment Equity and Diversity represent the quality
of leaders who will blaze the trail for the future of the Public
Service of Canada.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have only to look around
ourselves at the faces of our award recipients to see that the
Public Service is in very good hands.
Our government is clearly committed to ensuring
that the Public Service remains a modern, vigorous and dynamic
institution. This is not only an investment in the Public
Service, but also a symbol of our commitment to Canadians and to
their aspirations.
I congratulate all our award recipients for a job
well done. I urge you to continue to inspire those around you
through your example and your leadership.
Thanks to your work, I look forward very
optimistically to the future.
Thank you.
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