Good afternoon everyone, great to see you all.  I apologize in advance for having my back to you for the rest of this, but we’ll chat afterwards, because they really are a great looking group.  I mean, that’s Canada right there.  And thank you Paul, for that introduction, and for the vision that you and Power have had in engaging in great Canadian success stories and supporting folks like Michael, because you know that Canada can and should be leading the way in the kinds of positive engagement empowering citizens; recognizing different perspectives, different diversities are a source of tremendous strength for us, and your vision has been very strong in that as well.

And I want to thank Mike and all the folks at Wealthsimple for inviting me to be here today, as we celebrate this great Canadian success story that is a story just beginning to be written.  I also want to recognize and thank Adam Vaughn my friend, a local MP here for Spadina-Fort York, who has long and constantly boosting the great, you know, people, the great products, the great companies in his riding, and I’m so glad to be here today to celebrate an outstanding example of what is great about this part of the city, this part of the county.  Thanks for being here Adam.

I don’t want to take too much of your time, but since I’m on stage, I’d like to say a few words and explain why innovation is so important to ensuring our collective success;

As one of Canada’s most innovative online investment services, Wealthsimple is an example of fintech Innovation at its finest.  Hitting a billion dollars in assets is no small feat for any company, let alone one that’s only two years old.  To put it mildly, the success of this business has turned heads all over the world.  How is it that in such a short period of time, over 30,000 people have entrusted Wealthsimple with their hard earned savings?  I think that at the heart of it this business must be succeeding because it’s putting people first, making the process of investing accessible and even empowering to individuals.

In the current economic climate, middle class families are looking for a few things; they want good jobs, they want to know that they have the skills to succeed in a modern workplace, and they want to keep more of their own money.  And on top of that, they want to feel like they have a bit of control over their future, that they have a sense of where they’re going, of how they’re going to succeed, and how they’re gonna create opportunities for their kids and for future generations. 

These are their priorities, which make them our priorities as well. Whether we’re cutting taxes for the middle class by raising them on the wealthiest 1%, or investing in skills training, our government is committed to helping Canadians get ahead, from coast to coast to coast.

In March, our government tabled its second budget. And we made a commitment to help companies that innovate, to develop and stay in Canada. We know that we have brilliant students coming out of universities, colleges, CEGEPs, and many workers, just as talented, who have new ideas to share.

In Canada, we’ve got the diversity, the work ethic, and creativity to position our country as a global hub for innovation.  And so, we’re not only backing Canadian companies, we’re backing Canadians.  And whether we’re developing AI technology, expanding public transit, or upgrading our college campuses, everything we do is with an eye to the future, both in creating the jobs of tomorrow, and making sure our kids have the right skills to fill them.

So, on that, thank you all once again for having me here today, this really is a tremendous milestone for Wealthsimple, and for Canadian fintech across the board.  To Mike and the whole team, keep innovating, and keep up the great work. Thank you everyone for allowing us and all of Canada to be part of your success.

Thank you everyone.