'By Canadians, For Canadians': Mark Carney Defends Canada's Sovereignty In Major Speech

Just last month, I had the privilege of announcing His Majesty's approval of Canada's new Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Louise Arbour. And I ended those remarks with the same point that I'm going to begin my remarks today with. And I quote, at a time when much of the world is buffeted by crises, Canada's history, our institutions, and our traditions matter more than ever. And while these foundations are expressed in language, practiced in custom, and convention, and enshrined in law, they can also take physical form. They can be made of timber and stone, stand as landmarks, as testaments in which we recognize ourselves. 24 Sussex is nearly as old as our country. First built in 1868, it sits on a rise above the meeting of three rivers, the Ottawa, the Rideau, and the Gatineau. Home to 10 of Canada's Prime Ministers, as Mr. Lightbaum just said, from Louis Saint Laurent, Stephen Harper. For more than 75 years, this House has welcomed leaders from around the world, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Winston Churchill, President John F. Kennedy. 24 Sussex Drive is more than a residence. It's greater than a mere backdrop to history. It's a symbol of the public office of the head of our federal government, and of the democratic traditions that office represents. And yet, it has not been cared for with the respect that it deserves. And after decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, this House sits empty. It's been uninhabitable for more than a decade. Now for years, many have agreed that 24 Sussex should be saved, but it was left to language, and so the damage spread, and the repair costs climbed. And now it's in critical condition. So today, our government is acting to renew this building, restore this institution, preserve our history, protect our heritage and traditions for generations to come, because that continuity matters. A nation is more than the people who live in it today. It includes everyone who came before us, and everyone who will come after. Our institutions are how we carry forward what we were given, and how we pass that on, at least intact, ideally improved to those who follow. 24 Sussex Drive is one of these institutions, and we will not let it crumble. We will set it right. Today, we're launching a design and build competition to restore 24 Sussex Drive, to become once again a secure, accessible and sustainable official residence, and a working venue for Canada's future Prime Ministers. We'll do this in a manner that reflects the very best of Canada. We are calling for proposals that are ambitious, achievable and cost effective. The competition will be open to eligible Canadian firms, putting Canadian design excellence at the centre of the project. As I said, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, drawing on its expertise supporting major architectural competitions, will provide advice on the competition framework, establish an independent jury of distinguished Canadian experts in architecture, heritage, conservation and design. Chaired by Moshe Safdie, one of the world's most celebrated and accomplished architects, the jury will provide the key input to make the proposals and make their recommendation, sorry, to assess the proposals and to make their recommendation to Cabinet. The winning team will be responsible both for the design and the reconstruction of 24 Sussex, so they will need a credible, disciplined plan to see it through. A plan to bring to life, bring the building to life on time, and to a standard worthy of the country that it serves. So we're turning to the country's most innovative architects, designers and builders for solutions to find the most ambitious, exciting and affordable solutions. The winning proposal will be announced by Canada Day next year. I would like to express my personal and deep gratitude to Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien for advocating for the renovation of 24 Sussex as the residence of the Prime Minister. I would also like to thank Prime Ministers Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Paul Martin and Justin Trudeau, who together with Milo Mulroney have expressed their support for this renovation. As with everything our government undertakes, it's not just about what we build, it's about how we build and why we build. 24 Sussex will be built by Canadians, for Canadians. Now, while 24 Sussex is a symbol of the office it serves, it must also be a home and the women and men who will lead our country in the future will need a residence for their families. I may not look like it, but my kids are already grown and I will never, in any event, live in 24 Sussex Drive. But future Prime Ministers will undoubtedly need to raise their children here as they lead our country. So we'll restore it so they may do so safely and securely. In the end, I and all public officials are stewards of the offices we hold. We don't own them, we serve them to serve Canadians and we have a responsibility to leave things better than we found them. Our responsibility is not only to respect those who will take on these functions after us. We also have a duty to Canadians to preserve and strengthen the institutions that belong to them. Let me close with this. Canadians rightly expect their leaders to take decisions where the benefits may only be realized long after they're in office. And this is the type of decision we're taking today, because good stewardship demands it, and because Canadians rightly expect it, and because the future of our institutions, all our institutions, depends on us leaving them better than we found them. We have to apply that principle comprehensively, not selectively. Thank you.