Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Speech on the Occasion of a State Dinner in Honour of Their Majesties Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, and Queen Silvia
Rideau Hall, Tuesday, October 24, 2006
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Your Majesties, I must begin by telling you that I learned something very interesting while preparing for your visit…
As His Majesty the King has reminded us this morning, he has a very special connection to Rideau Hall, or at least to one of its former occupants.
It may surprise some of you here today to learn that this was once the residence of the King’s great-grandfather!
As many of you know, the Duke of Connaught, the son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, was Governor General of Canada from 1911 to 1916.
In 1905, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Connaught, Princess Margaret, married Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden. She was therefore His Majesty’s grandmother, and my predecessor was his great-grandfather.
Given this unique link, it is a special pleasure to welcome you here today.
I also want to mention how pleasant it was to speak with you at the Winter Olympics in Torino, where you were accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip. And I must add that my husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I are delighted to meet Queen Silvia.
Of course, there are many connections—both on a personal and on a collective level—between the peoples of Canada and Sweden.
This is understandable, given that there is so much that Sweden and Canada share, and there is such a strong tradition of cooperation between our two peoples.
Both of our countries are famous for their breathtaking landscapes, and their—at times—unforgiving climates. And our peoples have a deep respect for nature, in all its terrible beauty.
I think acclaimed film director Lasse Hallstrom put it best. When he was asked why he insisted on making his film The Shipping News in Newfoundland, despite the challenges of distance and weather, Hallstrom answered, “Hey… Newfoundland is the main character. Of course we’re doing it here.”
Another common element is that Canada and Sweden have been blessed with a great bounty of natural resources. We have both moved beyond a solely resource-based economy, and both our countries are enjoying considerable success in the knowledge economy.
Perhaps most striking are the similarities in our societies. Swedes and Canadians believe in social solidarity, where all citizens share the benefits of prosperity and the risks of daily life.
I think both our peoples recognize the wisdom in the Swedish proverb: “Charity supports both the giver and the receiver.”
As a result, our citizens enjoy a quality of life that few other countries in the world can match.
Our considerable advantages have also made Sweden and Canada aware of the great responsibility that we have toward the rest of the world.
That is why both of our nations are well-known proponents of multilateralism, working diligently through the UN and other international bodies to make this world a better place.
Over the years, our governments have also pooled their efforts to advance our mutual interests on the international stage, be they in the fields of peace building, UN reform, development assistance, democratic development, human rights or the International Criminal Court.
As well, as two of the founding members of the Arctic Council, Sweden and Canada have collaborated on such issues as sustainable development and environmental monitoring in the circumpolar region. I know that Your Majesty takes these issues to heart.
In addition to our work on the Arctic Council, I am very pleased to note that Sweden was the first European nation to join the International Model Forest Network.
This is an initiative originating in Canada that is working toward the goal of sustainable forest management and use. It also creates opportunities to strengthen links between Indigenous peoples in Canada and Sweden.
Given the solid foundation of friendship and cooperation that exists between our two nations, I am confident that the future promises to be even brighter.
After all, we live in a shrinking world, where nations are increasingly interconnected.
In that context, I am certain that personal contacts between Canadians and Swedes will increase, cultural exchanges will multiply, and our trade ties will grow stronger.
Speaking of personal contacts, there are already some 285,000 Canadians who claim Swedish ancestry.
These include such accomplished individuals as journalist and former diplomat Pamela Wallin, renowned architect Arthur Eriksson, respected judicial expert Thomas Berger, and the actor famous for playing “Anakin Skywalker”, Hayden Christensen.
Of course, Sweden has also given Canada some of its most talented and beloved hockey players, including Mats Sundin, Markus Näslund and Daniel Alfredsson, who captain teams in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa respectively.
I understand that Daniel Alfredsson and Mats Sundin are facing off against each other in a game in Toronto at this very moment.
Over the years, Swedish and Canadian artists and performers have enjoyed considerable popularity in each others’ countries.
Canadian authors are respected in Sweden. Over 150 Canadian titles have been translated into Swedish, and Margaret Atwood was the star of the 2003 Gothenburg Book Fair.
Here in Canada, just last year, Cinematheque Ontario paid a centennial tribute to Swedish film star Greta Garbo, as well as offering a major retrospective on the work of acclaimed director Ingmar Bergman.
Your Majesties, I am certain that your visit will buttress the excellent work that has been done by representatives of your government on other occasions.
Before I go on any longer I am reminded of another wise Swedish saying: “Allvar och gamman trives gärna samman” or “Seriousness and pleasure should thrive together.”
And so, ladies and gentlemen, I would ask you to join me as we raise our glasses in a toast to their Majesties, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and to the people of Sweden.
May our two nations always go forward in the same spirit of friendship and cooperation, as we work together to build a better world.
