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NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY
THE HONOURABLE MONTE SOLBERG
MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP
AND IMMIGRATION
10th Annual Immigrants of Distinction Awards
Calgary, Alberta
April 20, 2006
Check against delivery
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Introduction
Thank you very much for that generous welcome.
As federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, it is indeed a privilege to be here to join in these celebrations and revel in so many of your accomplishments.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society and our Honorary Chair, Dr. Kabir Jivraj, for providing me with an opportunity to share this evening with you.
I want to congratulate our hosts and organizers on the 10th anniversary of the Immigrants of Distinction Awards. This award plays an important part in creating awareness of the significant contribution immigration makes to Canada, and it has become a model for similar awards in this country.
I also want to recognize the outstanding work of the Mosaic Family Resource Centre, which will benefit from the proceeds of this evening’s Gala Dinner.
And finally, I want to convey to you greetings and congratulations from Prime Minister Harper.
It’s About People
Since becoming Minister, I’ve had a crash course in Canada’s immigration and refugee system. Each night, I return home with binders packed with charts and tables of statistics.
But the reality is that immigration isn’t about numbers — it’s about people. It’s about all of you assembled here this evening, and about the contributions each of you has made and will continue to make in the years ahead.
Canada, after all, is a country founded on two things — immigration and initiative.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of newcomers just like you place their faith in the promise of Canada. And just like you, they don’t come empty-handed.
They come with different languages and backgrounds. They come with valuable skills. And many come with great personal courage in the face of hardships that I can barely imagine.
Most importantly, they come with a powerful desire to make a better life for themselves and their families — and when they succeed, we all succeed. Prime Minister Harper is very conscious of that too — and that is why we’re going to cut the Right of Permanent Residence fee in half. Actions always speak louder than words and this is one way to say we welcome newcomers to Canada.
Tonight is your night to celebrate and affirm these wonderful truths. But it’s also a night that every Canadian can mark as special, and that they can share with you in spirit if not in person. Newcomers make our nation richer and our society more diverse and dynamic. For that, I thank you.
I enjoy celebrations like this because they take us beyond the numbers to the heart of the matter, which is what immigration has given and continues to give to our country. The personal stories of award recipients prove the importance of immigration more than any graph or chart ever could. This is what we’re here to celebrate tonight. We’re here to celebrate your personal stories. We’re also here as part of these 10th anniversary celebrations to celebrate the lives and personal stories of newcomers such as Dr. Gamil Tadros.
In 2003, the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society awarded the Distinguished Professional Award to Dr. Tadros, who came to Canada from Egypt in 1966. Dr. Tadros has become one of Canada’s most creative and original bridge designers and was the mastermind behind the Confederation Bridge linking Prince Edward Island to the mainland. It turns out that Dr. Tadros is a bridge maker in more ways than one.
Then there is the story of Mr. Abed Itani. Mr. Itani came to Canada with his parents from Lebanon in 1984, and settled here in the Calgary area. In 1987, Mr. Itani launched Cidex Developments Ltd., building six homes in the first year. Since then, his company has helped build high-rise projects like Westgate Park, single-family homes in Lake at Heritage Pointe, and multifamily dwellings in Hidden Valley and Bridlewood. He has also helped organize a winter shelter for 92 families at the former Westgate Hotel. The Calgary Immigrant Aid Society awarded Mr. Itani with the Business Award in 2005 at these same Immigrants of Distinction Awards.
Some of you might also know the story of Dr. Henk ter Keurs.
Dr. ter Keurs is a native of Holland who joined the University of Calgary’s medical faculty in 1984. Since then, he has won numerous medical awards, and was awarded knighthood in the Order of the Dutch Lion by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1999.
The Calgary Immigrant Aid Society presented Dr. ter Keurs with the Professional Achievement Award at the 1998 Immigrants of Distinction Awards. His life-saving research into heart disease has been truly remarkable. And now, many of his former students are furthering the cause of heart research and treatment around the world.
It gives me pause to think what the world might have lost if we had not opened our doors, but it also makes me wonder how many people are in Canada today whose credentials are not recognized the way that Dr. ter Keurs were. It reaffirms to me the importance of recognizing credentials in this country.
These personal stories illustrate the significant role immigration has played and will continue to play in helping to build Canada. They point to the important contributions immigrants have made and will continue to make to every facet of our society and economy. They make us proud to be Canadian and more confident in the future of our great country. I’m sure that this year’s awards will do that even more.
Ancestors
Last year, Calgary welcomed some 11,000 newcomers from every walk of life and every corner of the globe — making it the fourth most popular destination for immigrants to Canada. I don’t find that surprising. Since its beginning, this province of Alberta has drawn immigrants from around the world.
I know something about this because my family was among the millions who came from Europe a century ago. My ancestors crossed the ocean from Norway in considerable hardship during the early years of the last century. Many of you made similar voyages more recently. And every day, we carry that journey with us.
Our ancestors who settled in various parts of Canada believed that each individual had an obligation to help others and to be responsible citizens. They also knew that together, they were helping to build a great country. Like many of you here this evening, they sacrificed and persevered. They did their best to make their dreams a reality, and in doing so, helped a province to prosper, and helped a young country become one of the world’s most respected nations.
But those sacrifices did more than just build a nation. They set the standard for what it means to be a citizen.
Today, Canada’s strength and value are enhanced by your presence here. They’re enhanced by the many wonderful gifts each of you brings, and by your work to help build our communities, improve the lives of those around you, and provide your fellow Canadians with jobs, scientific breakthroughs, cultural diversity, and a richer and more rewarding life.
Canada is now your home. And Canada is the better for it. That’s what makes this country great. Each of you have molded and will continue to mold this country into a nation that people from around the world can point to as a model of prosperity, ingenuity, tolerance and inclusiveness. That’s what each of you brings to Canada. That’s the reality of immigration.
Conclusion
Those of you to whom we are paying tribute tonight are proof of that reality.
Our remarkable Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Norman L. Kwong and his wife Mary, who honour us with their presence this evening, are proof of that reality.
To our distinguished award recipients, I want to extend my personal congratulations to each of you on receiving this year’s Immigrants of Distinction Award.
I wish you and your descendants all the very best in your future endeavours, and thank you again for inviting me to share this evening with you. Thank you.
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