Statement to Participants of the 2nd Annual CanSpell National Spelling Bee Competition

Notes for an Address by

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada


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Thank you David for that introduction. 

It’s a great pleasure to be here with you to celebrate the 2nd annual CanSpell Spelling Bee.

And I want to thank CanWest, and all the organizers across the country who have made this event the success that it is, for their commitment to literacy and to our children.

Looking around at the faces here on the stage with me tonight, I’m seeing the face of the future of this country.

And let me tell you, from where I’m standing, I see a bright, exciting future.

And I have no doubt that your achievement here today is but a precursor to the great things you will achieve for yourselves and our country in the years to come.

I’d like to offer my personal congratulations to each and every one of you for making it to the national finals.

More than 160,000 young Canadians took part in the school-level competitions. 

Of that number, approximately 250 participants proceeded to the regional spelling events that took place from St. John’s to Victoria.

Although the competition at these events was stiff, you twenty-eight young men and women prevailed.

You are standing on this stage tonight because of your determination, dedication, and ability to perform well under extraordinary pressure.

You truly are an inspiration. 

I assure you that your talents will prove useful for the rest of your lives. 

Let me tell you, when you enter politics you encounter some strange and difficult words.

Take the word prorogation for instance. 

As many of you probably know, it is a noun that means to discontinue a session of Parliament.

It’s not a word you hear used much outside of Ottawa.

Anyway, when I first came to Ottawa in 2002, I thought I’d administer a pop quiz in the office to see who spell prorogation without a pencil.

I’m not going to go into specific numbers, but suffice to say, I wasn’t that impressed with the results. 

I know that those of you who choose to work on Parliament Hill someday won’t have the same problem.

Let me conclude by again congratulating all the finalists who are standing on this stage with me this evening – including those 14 regional winners who will participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC this May and June. 

I wish you all continued success and eagerly await the contributions you are going to make to this great country of ours.

Thank you.

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