Honourable colleagues, I rise today to recognize the sixtieth anniversary of the Coady International Institute.

On Sunday, I was honoured to be on stage at the St. Francis Xavier University convocation when our colleague, Senator Kutcher, received a standing ovation for his inspirational honorary degree speech.

Senator Kutcher started his speech by saying:

StFX has forged its reputation on the call to serve others.

He challenged graduates to find ways to contribute to the world. The Coady Institute’s network of thousands of community leader graduates and partners in 133 countries, including Canada, is the living embodiment of the university’s commitment to service. Like Dr. Kutcher, Moses Coady, the institute’s namesake, used to stir people into action and into service of their neighbours with his provocative speeches.

A towering figure of a man, Dr. Coady was known to conduct intellectual bombing exercises in the 1930s and 1940s where he would go down to the docks and motivate people by saying:

You are poor enough to want it and smart enough to do it.

The world the way it is, is not the way it has to be.

We must use force! The force of ideas.

In a democracy the people don’t sit in the social and economic bleachers; they all play the game.

Dr. Coady’s book, Masters of their Own Destiny, tells the story of the Antigonish Movement. Last year, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of this remarkable, made-in-Nova Scotia movement.

The Coady Institute was created in 1959 as a response to the growing demand for leadership education, largely from emerging nations of the global south. Today, the institute’s practical education programs and innovation partnerships focus on three themes: Building resilient communities, strengthening inclusive economies and promoting accountable democracies.

Coady’s priorities include women, youth and Indigenous leaders. Tamara Cremo, graduate of the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program said:

If you want to do good for your community, if you want to create change — Coady is the place to go.

Majubere Margaret Mofolo of Lesotho said:

Coady produces the best women leaders who contribute significantly to social, political and economic change. Through these leaders across the world, Coady touches the lives of thousands of people.

Colleagues, the Coady International Institute is a national treasure. Please join me in congratulating the dedicated Coady team and their powerful worldwide network of heroes, who are working hard every day in the service of humanity.

Wela’lioq, thank you.