PM announces funding for the Rick Hansen Institute

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Thank you Terry for that kind introduction.

It’s a great pleasure to be here today at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre as we commemorate a very important anniversary.

Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge some of the special people in attendance.  First, the man who so enthusiastically welcomed the world to Vancouver for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier Gordon Campbell.  Our government’s Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, the Honourable Diane Finley.  Our government’s Paralympic Ambassador, Sam Sullivan.  And finally, of course, a man known and respected across the country and around the world, Mr. Rick Hansen.

You know, it’s very appropriate that we should be here today with you, Rick. The 10th Winter Paralympic Games are winding up here in Vancouver and up in Whistler after more than a week of truly valiant endeavour, and we all know what that means.

There is something particularly moving about the courage and dedication of people who –  before they conquer a sport – must first conquer a disability.
True grit doesn’t begin to describe the commitment, the courage and the stubborn refusal to accept what fate hands out, that drives somebody to reach not merely beyond their physical limits, but beyond their circumstances.
As we are gathered here, we must wonder how many were inspired by your example.

Like you, these men and women have wowed us with their incredible performances.  I think for instance of Ms. Colette Bourgonje, an extraordinary woman who won Canada’s first medal at these Games in the 10-kilometre cross-country sit-ski event.

This is the ninth Paralympic Games for Colette. Think of it. Nine times, she has worn the Maple Leaf in international competition, and nine times she has reached the podium.  In Saskatoon, where she works as a part-time teacher, she’s a hometown hero with a street named after her.  What an example, what an inspiration, what a role model!

And here’s the thing. Like you Rick, her story is one of triumph over tragedy. Colette was paralyzed from the waist down in a car crash when she was just a teenager.  And she also has this in common with you, Rick, she outright refused to let this setback stop her from pursuing her passion for sport.  She is a remarkable athlete by any measure.

You are a remarkable athlete.  And you, and people such as those we see at the Paralympic Games who do not surrender to their disabilities, are by your lives and by your strivings, raising aspirations among the disabled and dispelling old stereotypes and prejudices among the abled.

In a competition between true ability and misguided preconceptions, ladies and gentlemen, the former will always prevail.  That’s why our government is committed to helping remove those barriers that remain for people struggling with spinal cord injuries.  And, that’s why we are proud to support the work of somebody like Rick who has devoted his life to challenging society’s preconceptions about what those with spinal cord injuries can achieve. 

For ladies and gentlemen, it’s been a remarkable 25 years for Rick Hansen.  It’s a modern-day epic, Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion World Tour, a 40,000 kilometre journey by wheelchair through 34 countries that began in the parking lot of the Oakridge Mall here in Vancouver.

Rick lifted spirits, and he raised millions for research. But, true to form, in spite of this tremendous accomplishment, Rick still wasn’t satisfied.

He wanted to do more. And so he has. This foundation that bears his name has supported research and programs that have improved the lives of tens of thousands of Canadians.

Through its Spinal Cord Injuries Solutions Network, the Rick Hansen Foundation has made great strides in exploring new ways to reduce permanent paralysis; developing a national registry to optimize available resources so that those with spinal cord injuries are able to receive more timely treatment; ensuring validated best practices are available in communities throughout the country; and building the knowledge infrastructure needed to make Canada a world leader in spinal cord research.

Our government was proud to partner with the Hansen Foundation on this ambitious initiative three years ago, and today – in honour of the 25th anniversary of Rick’s inspirational Man in Motion Tour –we are pleased to take the next step forward.

The Government of Canada will provide generous financial support to the newly launched Rick Hansen Institute. 

The Institute, which replaces the SCI Solutions Network, will build on
previous successes by: expanding the SCI Registry to include critical data from other countries and networks; supporting ground-breaking research, including a study examining whether the spinal cord can be repaired by implanting cells from elsewhere in the body; establishing a global clinical trials network to accelerate the validation and implementation of emerging care and treatment strategies; and hosting a conference that will bring the world’s foremost experts together to share best practices.

In short, the Rick Hansen Institute, the culmination of a twenty-five-year-old dream, will set us on the road to discovering a cure for spinal cord injuries and maximize the quality of life for those living with disabilities.

On behalf of the Government of Canada –  and indeed all Canadians – I’d like to thank you, Rick, for your unstinting efforts over the years. Your vision and leadership have made a real difference in the lives of men, women and children across the country, and soon – thanks to the initiative we’re announcing today – around the world.

Through today’s announcement, it’s my sincerest hope that ever greater numbers of Canadians will be encouraged to realize their true potential.

That they will make ever greater contributions to our country –  in sports perhaps, but also in every area of human endeavour and in the life of our country.

Thank you.

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