Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada spoke to the European Parliament recently.
Does his choice of words reveal the heart and soul of the man?
Yes
Thank you for granting me the honour of addressing you all at the beginning of this decisive session.
Today I will speak to you about how our response to the current geopolitical rupture should incorporate a new dimension.
…
The depth of our bonds, those which unite us, cannot be measured by trade or what is written in treaties alone.
…
Goethe understood that ideals must be fought for, that values do not defend themselves. Indeed, at the end of Faust, the old man’s last vision is of a free people on free ground.
…
It [freedom] was nurtured by the founders of the European Coal and Steel Community in the aftermath of the war.
It was fostered by the creation of the European Community.
It was preserved through the establishment of the European Union.
And it grew through its expansion following the fall of the Berlin Wall.
…
This is the essence of the Canada-European Union partnership. Seeds, values, ideas, trade, people and progress carried back and forth across the Atlantic for centuries.
…
Our commitment to the rule of law, and our unyielding defence of human dignity, individual freedom and democracy share the same deep roots, the same unwavering dedication.
We hold common values, for which we have always fought, and in whose defence we must always remain vigilant.
We believe that a strong economy is not an end in itself, but the means to a just society. We are committed stewards of our natural heritage. We believe that our prosperity grows when it is shared.
…
We are bound by an affinity – elective, chosen and renewed, and stronger for being so.
…
Beneath the forest floor, the roots of an oak intertwine with those of its neighbours, exchanging nutrients, adding strength to strength, creating a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem.
***
It was a long speech. There’s plenty more to come … but you get the idea.
Our words have power
For good or ill
Let’s go for good
