Graduation Address

"Speaking Notes for the Honorable Bernard Lord, Ceremony C." (17 May 2001). (UA Case 67, Box 3)

Your Excellency, Mrs. Parr-Johnson, Dr. Patterson, Mr. Deshpande, Mr. Lewis, Ladies and Gentlemen,

And last. But certainly not least, the Class of 2001.

I would like to extend my appreciation to Dr. Patterson for his kind presentation.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the Chancellor and Board of Governors of UNB for bestowing upon me the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

This honorary degree is extremely important to me for many reasons. First of all, I am proud to receive a distinction in the company of such leaders as Lord Beaverbrook, John F. Kennedy, and the Right Honorable John Diefenbaker.

I am also the youngest child in a family of four. My three siblings are extremely talented in various disciplines. They each hold a doctorate. As the black sheep of the family, I have been a car salesman, a criminal lawyer, and now, a politician.

After years of working to convince their children of the value of education, this degree will finally allow my parents to have some peace over their youngest son, so I want to thank UNB again for the honor you have bestowed upon me.

I must share with you that I am humbled, honored and touched by this gesture.

I am proud to stand before you today to address the graduates of the Class of 2001 in the faculties of science, engineering, forestry and environmental management, as well as computer science.

You are part of a strong institution in the University of New Brunswick. The pride in being part of such a distinguished alumni is an honor which will follow you in all of your pursuits.

Congratulations to all of you. It is through hard work, determination, and commitment, and perseverance that you are here today to receive your degrees.

My message to you today is quite simple.

You made a good choice in choosing UNB, and more importantly, to choose to seek a higher level of education, and by choosing this path, you have expanded your horizons.

You made a good choice, and now there are more choices to make.

As one journey comes to an end, another begins today.

It is the journey of remaining true to the very core of the principles and beliefs which have allowed you to succeed today.

Hardwork, Perseverance, Determination, while at the same time using your knowledge and accomplishments to develop and shape your future.

Some of you may be wondering, what’s next?

The true value of your degree is not the degree itself, but what you will do with it.

You have a tremendous opportunity, and unlimited potential to use your knowledge and accomplishments to develop as individuals.

But it is much more than that.

The importance of your accomplishment will not be measured today. It will be measured in the future by your ability to improve your lives and the lives of the people around you. Your family. Your community. Your Alma Mater. Your Province and your country.

We need you here in New Brunswick, and I want to assure you there is a place for you here because you are the future of this province.

We are an innovative, smart, well-educated province, and we are growing every day. We are growing by striking a balance between being economically competitive and socially progressive.

We are being economically competitive through investing in people, ensuring competitive taxation, embracing innovation, and investing in strategic infrastructure.

At the same time we are making record investments in health care and community services to help those who need help the most.

It is through that balance that we are planning for the future.

Since some of you are receiving degrees today from the Faculty of Computer Science, I want to share with you what Bill Gates recently told a graduating class from university.

He asked the graduates before cleaning up the Rain Forest to clean up their own closets.

You do have that potential and the ability to make a difference right here at home.

I believe the future of this province lies in our ability to achieve our goals and objectives collectively.

Remember that if you are afraid of failure, you will be afraid to succeed.
Take risks, and remember to calculate them first.

Be Perseverant.

Be Bold.

Be Innovative.

And last but not least. Be confident. Rely on yourself.

As New Brunswick’s youngest Premier, I believe it is those actions that have brought me success.

I lost two elections before I won. I got creamed, but I never gave up. I remained true to my beliefs and principles. I believed in myself, even when others did not.

I think of Thomas Edison who tries 10,000 times before he got the light bulb right. He said that success is one percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.

So never be afraid to make mistakes as long as you can learn, and if you can learn from the mistakes of others, that’s even better. It will allow you to go for the gold.

As you’re going for that hold, remember to take time for things that are important.

Although my life is filled everyday with things that are urgent, I always take the time to think about what is important. To dream, to plan, to build for the future.

There is an old Chinese sage from Confucius, which says:

"We are so busy doing the urgent that we don’t have time to do the important."

In the hustle and bustle of the day, take a moment to do something very important. Dream of your future. A future, which is brighter because you are here today.

A future, which is brighter not only for you, but for your family, your province and for the next generation of New Brunswickers. Your children and grandchildren.

You are limited only by your imagination.

I am driven by my passion and determination to serve this province, and my desire to contribute to make New Brunswick a better place to live, work, and raise a family, now, and tomorrow.

It is that hope for the future, which guides me as Premier.

As I look out into the crowd, I feel as though I am looking in a mirror because I see that same hope on your faces, and I know New Brunswick will be stronger because you are here today.
Thank you.