THE 2001 SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
excerpt on Canadian unity

Ottawa, Ontario January 30, 2001

Celebrating Our Canadian Citizenship

Canada was born of a noble vision and an act of will. Our Canadian citizenship has been built over time through the experiences we have shared . . .

. . . when together we celebrate the successes of our scientists, scholars, athletes and artists, our leaders on the world stage, and our peacekeepers. And when we remember and honour our war veterans.

. . . when we visit other parts of our country or when we travel abroad and see ourselves through the eyes of others.

. . . when every year thousands of new Canadians stand proudly with their families to take on the responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.

. . . when we come together to help each other in tough times. And when millions of Canadians volunteer their time and energy to make their communities a better place.

The Government will help Canadians to strengthen their bonds of mutual understanding and respect, to celebrate their achievements and history, and to exercise their shared citizenship.

• It will continue to expand exchange programs for young Canadians to reach its goal of 100,000 exchanges each year.
• Canada’s linguistic duality is fundamental to our Canadian identity and is a key element of our vibrant society. The protection and promotion of our two official languages is a priority of the Government -- from coast to coast. The Government reaffirms its commitment to support sustainable official language minority communities and a strong French culture and language. And it will mobilize its efforts to ensure that all Canadians can interact with the Government of Canada in either official language.