 Happy Canada Day! Joyeurs fait du Canada! We begin of course by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Algonquin people. My friends, what a pleasure it is to be with you here today to celebrate Canada and Canadians. Canada Day on Parliament Hill is something of a tradition for many of us, and I couldn't be happier to be back with you again this year. Because last year, as you might remember, we decided to do things a little bit differently. We started the day in Leamington, Ontario before heading to Regina, Saskatchewan, and ending in Dawson City, Yukon. Well, some think that maybe we chose to end the day in Dawson City because the sun is setting after midnight and people are getting late, but it wasn't just for that that we did the trip. Several will remember that a few weeks before the end of Canada, the American government had announced its intention to impose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. The steel and aluminum tariffs created a lot of uncertainty for thousands of people, so last year's celebrations were bittersweet for many communities. But in Leamington, in Regina, and in Dawson City, we actually witnessed something very special and very Canadian. We saw people being there for each other during tough times. Neighbours organizing community dinners, friends checking in with each other, grandparents coming to town to watch the kids and give the parents a break. And in the weeks that followed, a wave of solidarity swept across the country. We put up a united front, we leaned on each other, we had each other's backs, and we didn't get pushed around. It's not just what we do when that going gets tough, it's who we are as Canadians. My friends, this is a perfect example of what we can achieve when we lift each other up. But the way we gathered last year shouldn't surprise anyone. Our country has been fascinated by people who are lazy, who work hard, people who choose generosity, compassion and hope. And it's our determination to put these values into practice every day that makes our country successful. Every day, Canadians show the rest of the world that a multicultural and inclusive society is a strong society, a resilient society, determined to turn to the future and ready to face the great challenges of our time, whether it be climate change, reconciliation or gender equality. Canadians have so much to be proud of this year, and I'm not just talking about the rafters. Since 2015, you've created 1 million jobs, the majority of which are full-time. As of this May, 85 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted and 825,000 people, including almost 300,000 kids, are no longer living in poverty in Canada. This is who we are as Canadians. This is what we can do when we work together and look out for each other. As a country, it's important that we celebrate our accomplishments, that we take pride in how far we've come. But we can't forget that Canada did not happen by accident and won't continue without effort and hard work. We can and we must continue to make our country even better. We owe it to the parents picking up extra shifts to give their kids the best possible start in life. We owe it to the newcomer building a new life, to the teacher inspiring our kids, to the community leader trying to enact change. We owe it to Canadians who every day make this country stronger with acts of kindness, courage, and compassion, both big and small. I have no doubt that together we can continue to build a country we can all be proud to call home. Let's take advantage of this day to celebrate Canada, yes, but especially Canadians because it's you who make our country the best country in the world. Happy Canada Day, everyone!