Good evening ladies and gentlemen and friends.

Buenas Noches!

Maligayang pagdating !

Maybe I’d better stick to my English … :)

As always, I’m honoured to be here with all of you and to take part in this celebration.

As of course you all know, the city of Edmonton is enriched greatly by its Filipino presence.

And, as you also know, I certainly would not have been elected without the support of your community. Please accept my sincere gratitude, I certainly hope that I can continue to represent all of you and your concerns as a community.

Back in Ottawa, on Thursday, as Tessie mentioned we inaugurated the Canada-ASEAN Friendship Group, whose aim is to build closer ties between our respective countries.

Your Ambassador, Francisco Benedicto, Dean of the ASEAN Ambassadors, talked about how pleased he was that the friendship group was being formed, recognizing the long-standing relations that have existed between Canada and the Philippines

Ambassador Benedicto made special mention of how vibrant and active the Filipino community is here in Edmonton. I couldn’t agree with him more. He spoke of all the great celebrations that you have put on as a community, and he also mentioned his regrets that he isn’t able to attend nearly as many of them as he would like to.

One thing that was clear by the end of the night was that the friendship group will act as yet another forum whereby Canada strengthens its cultural, social and economic dialogue with the countries of the South Pacific.

As you may know, there are now nearly 400,000 Canadians of Filipino origin. They are among Canada's most active citizens, deeply involved in the economic, social and cultural activities of the country. Their knowledge, skills and investment in Canada contribute to its success, and their language, culture and history add to its rich multicultural fabric.

Suffice to say, Canada has much to learn from the Filipino people, particularly in the terms of humanitarian action, non-violent protest and, of course, the cultural arts. There couldn’t be a better example of a true renaissance man fighting for a great cause, than your national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. It is hoped that with time, Canadians will learn more from the examples of great Filipino men and women around the world.

So, before I take any more time away from this great celebration, allow me to wish you all a Happy 21^st Anniversary!

Feliz Anniversario!