Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean: "If you only knew how proud I am."

Our Governor General and Commander-in-Chief addresses the troops:

I was born in a country where for many years, the uniform had come to symbolize brutality, horror and tyranny.

I have come a long way from that child who grew up under a regime of terror, in Haiti, to become the woman who stands before you now.

Since the beginning of my mandate, I have worked alongside you every day. I have visited your places of work. I have seen you in action.

If you only knew how proud I am of you as I look out at you today; how proud I am to be your commander-in-chief. You have forever changed my perception of the men and women who don the uniform, and for that, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart.