Letters of Credence Ceremony

June 23, 2026

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I am pleased to welcome you to Rideau Hall, located on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation.

Welcome, new ambassadors from Kuwait, Argentina, Somalia and Benin.

You are starting your work in Canada just as I am starting mine as governor general.

I take great pride in this country-one I have come to know both up close through my work as a judge in Canada, and from afar, particularly through my various assignments with the United Nations.

I am confident that you will find here a dynamic, open and peaceful society where diverse views are welcomed and freely expressed. You will see this reflected in our schools and theatres, in the media, among political parties and across public spaces.

We are not perfect, but we are ambitious and we look to the future with confidence.

It is the expression of multiple perspectives that allows us to nurture our critical thinking, creativity and innovation, and to build our shared future.

Canada values the many ways our peoples, institutions and communities work together, looking out for each other in a spirit of respect and collaboration.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan often spoke of the three pillars of the United Nations: security, development and human rights.

He once said that we cannot have security without development, development without security, nor either without respect for human rights.

This is as true in Canada as it is everywhere else.

As we enter a new international order, we must continue to promote security, prosperity and equality in the pursuit of a greater freedom for all.

Diplomacy remains one of our most effective tools in this effort. It is our surest way to ensure that our peoples can live with the dignity and peace to which they aspire, and I might add, to which they are entitled on the simple basis of their humanity.

Excellencies,

I wish you and your families a pleasant settling-in period, whether in Ottawa or in Washington, D.C.

For those of you settling here, I encourage you to take part in summer activities and to meet Canadians from all walks of life.

In Canada, summer is a long-awaited guest, so I am confident you will find many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, make new friends and create lasting memories.

Welcome to Canada!