Royal Military College 2009 Calgary Leadership Dinner In honour of General Rick Hillier

November 27, 2009

Good evening…Honourable Senators… General Natynzyk…Chief Hanson…members of the military…distinguished guests… ladies and gentlemen… and a special good evening to our guest of honour…General Rick Hillier.

My wife, Mary, and I are excited to be part of this celebration because it's a chance to honour someone that we greatly respect and someone who has offered extraordinary service to our country.

I'll start by saying that I'm a little relieved that I never had to face off against General Hillier on the football field. I know that in his bio he jokes that he runs slowly, plays hockey poorly and golfs not well at all. But I suspect that in any situation, sports or otherwise, Rick Hillier doesn't stop until he finds a way over, around or through whatever obstacles happen to be placed in front of him.

I think that's one of the hallmarks of a truly great leader. When all avenues seem exhausted and team energy is at its lowest, a great leader finds a way to get people up on their feet, motivated and moving together in the right direction. That certainly describes the leadership of a man widely recognized as a true soldier's soldier.

I'm told that Rick actually started trying to enlist in the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of eight, so clearly his vision, persistence and dedication to duty manifested themselves early on and those traits definitely served him well throughout his years of active duty.

Now, another word that comes to mind when describing this great Canadian is "honest." General Hillier's candour is part and parcel of the courage he has always brought to whatever task is at hand. It's never always easy to speak the plain truth, to perceive facts that are hard to accept and then lay those uncomfortable truths bare for all to see. Many leaders shy away from that process simply because it demands too much energy or because they're not quite ready to manage the change that inevitably follows any honest exploration of what works and what doesn't. There's an old Chinese saying that goes, "the beginning of wisdom is to call things by their correct name and to see things as they truly are." By that definition, and by any other measure, Rick Hillier is a wise man.

His legacy to date includes the dedication he offered throughout his military career and his years spent as Chief of Defence Staff. And it also includes the compassionate support he has offered to a wide range of organizations, from the Military Family Fund, to programs like Project Hero which helps fund scholarships for children of Canadians in active service overseas, to countless other projects designed to give our troops and their families the support they so richly deserve.

As Her Majesty the Queen's representative in Alberta, and as a grateful Canadian, it's my pleasure to recognize and thank General Rick Hillier for his distinguished service to our country. I'd also like to wish Rick and his wife, Joyce, well in whatever plans and projects lie ahead.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone here this evening for coming out to support the Military Families Fund and the RMC Club Foundation. Thank you and enjoy the rest of the evening.