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PM pays tribute to Operation Nanook personnel
Thank you for keeping our True North strong and free
19 August 2009
Aboard the HMCS Toronto, Frobisher Bay, Nunavut
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERYGood afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Peter, for your introduction. And thanks to Commander Grant and the crew of HMCS Toronto for hosting us here.
Ladies and gentleman, this is my fourth August tour of the North since becoming Prime Minister and it is a pleasure for me to join you here in majestic Frobisher Bay. Our presence today in this unique part of our great country, speaks to the importance of Canada’s North.
At heart, we Canadians are a northern people, with a northern spirit. The North has shaped our culture and our character. Our very history is deeply intertwined with the experiences of those who have taken on the great challenges of this rugged terrain, and our future is tied to our ability – and our willingness – to cherish and defend these lands for those who will follow.
Ladies and gentlemen, we must never forget, that just as the eyes of southern Canadians gaze northward, so too do those beyond our borders. This should come as no surprise: with immense natural wealth, and the growing potential for new global trade routes, the strategic importance of Canada’s Arctic is heightened as never before. And with other countries probing our north by sea, and in the air, the work you are doing here to protect our sovereignty has never been more important.
That’s why I’m so proud to stand with you today on the deck of HMCS Toronto, in the company of HMCS Cornerbrook and CCGS Pierre Radisson, as Operation Nanook 2009 gets underway. This Operation is the most ambitious ever of Canada’s annual sovereignty exercises. It includes over 700 participants from the navy, the air force, the army, the Canadian Coast Guard, the RCMP, and our Arctic rangers, to name a few.
Your work here provides invaluable training for military and civilian personnel who may be called upon to respond to emergencies. But your efforts also demonstrate our ability – and our unyielding resolve – to protect Canadian sovereignty throughout our Arctic, from the northern tip of Labrador, up the east coast of Ellesmere Island to Alert, down the western perimeter of the Arctic Archipelago, to the Beaufort Sea and the border with Alaska.
Ladies and gentlemen, protecting national sovereignty, the integrity of our borders, is the first and foremost responsibility of a national government. It is a responsibility that has too often been neglected in our history. But, as I’ve said before, we understand the first principle of Arctic sovereignty is "use it or lose it." And we will continue to strive to provide the tools you need to do just that, including new helicopters, ships, and planes for the Forces, and a new icebreaker for the Coast Guard.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude by thanking you, one and all, for your service to our country. I know that in being here today, you have left your families and loved ones behind in the selfless service of your country. And your efforts are making a difference.
Canada has a real, growing, long-term presence in our Arctic. Your mission here in the days ahead will stand as a testament to our commitment to this region of our country – a commitment to protect this rich inheritance for the generations of Canadians who will follow.
On behalf of the Government of Canada, and indeed, all Canadians, thank you for keeping our True North strong and free.
Thank you and God bless Canada.
