2020 Nation Builder of the Year Award

December 10, 2020

The Empire Club of Canada Presents

2020 Nation Builder of the Year Award

Chairman: Antoinette Tummillo, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada

Distinguished Guest Speakers
Kayla Grey, Journalist, TSN
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Perry Bellegarde, Grand Chief, Assembly of First Nations
The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
His Worship John Tory, Mayor of Toronto
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, NFL player, frontline medical worker
Atom Egoyan, Filmmaker
Stephan James & Shamier Anderson, Actors and Activists
Sophie Milman, Jazz Singer
Lee Turner (on behalf of frontline grocery cashier Pam Smallman)
The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Former Governor General of Canada
John Ralston Saul, Author
Paul Barry (on behalf of frontline worker Marcia Brown)
Lisa Laflamme, CTV National News Anchor
Jaclyn Carrigan, Waste Connections Canada
Michael Medline, CEO, Sobey's
Michelle Romanow, Entrepreneur, Dragon’s Den Personality
Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN CEO
Victor Dodig, CIBC CEO
Flavio Volpe & Ali Salam
Kathi Wood, Elder Strong Canada
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO)
Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
Barbara Amsden, Frigo Virtuel
The Honourable Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons
Mike White, President & CEO, IBK Capital Corp

Introduction
It is a great honour for me to be here at the Empire Club of Canada today, which is arguably the most famous and historically relevant speaker’s podium to have ever existed in Canada. It has offered its podium to such international luminaries as Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Audrey Hepburn, the Dalai Lama, Indira Gandhi, and closer to home, from Pierre Trudeau to Justin Trudeau; literally generations of our great nation's leaders, alongside with those of the world's top international diplomats, heads of state, and business and thought leaders.

It is a real honour and distinct privilege to be invited to speak to the Empire Club of Canada, which has been welcoming international diplomats, leaders in business, and in science, and in politics. When they stand at that podium, they speak not only to the entire country, but they can speak to the entire world.

Welcome Address by Antoinette Tummillo, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada
Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Empire Club of Canada's second annual Nation Builder of the Year Award. My name is Antoinette Tummillo, and I am the President of the Empire Club of Canada. This is a very special event for this historic club of ours, as we stop for a few moments at the end of this very challenging year and pay our respects to the men and women on the front lines over the past nine months, the men and women keeping our economy moving and forward so hard to keep the rest of us safe, comfortable, and secure. This ceremony today pays tribute to each and every one of them. And while nothing we can say or do will ever be enough to express our depth of gratitude, we have assembled some pretty eloquent personalities who will help us, as Canadians, to thank the heroes of 2020. The next 90 minutes are filled with wonderful stories, so sit back, relax, and enjoy these moving moments from the last year.

To begin this afternoon, I'd like to acknowledge the land we are broadcasting from is the Traditional Territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat people. It is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. For those of you tuning in from regions across the country today, we encourage you to learn about the Traditional Territory on which you work or live.

I want to take a moment to recognize our sponsors who generously support the Empire Club and have made this event possible. The Nation Builder of the Year Award 2020 is presented by IBK Capital Corp. Our Major Sponsors are Urbana Corporation and OMERS. Our Supporting Sponsors—and we have quite a few—are Canadian Bankers Association, LiUNA, Investment Industry Association of Canada, Onex, Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., the University of British Columbia Faculty of Applied Science, Bombardier, Agnico Eagle, ARC Pacific Resources Corp., Teck Resources, Alamos Gold Inc., Grassroots Public Affairs, Canadian Securities Exchange, Bruce Power, Gardiner Roberts, and IBM. Also, thank you to Bell and Humber College for their in-kind donation. I also want to thank our event partner, Bespoke Audio Visual, for webcasting today's event, and our media partner, the National Post.

Welcome, also, to our distinguished past presidents, who join us today online for this special event. We stand on your shoulders and are deeply appreciative of how much work you did in the past to make the Empire Club our country's most famous, and for the past 117 years, the most popular speaking platform in Canada. Thanks as well to our adjudication committee, who helps us with the choice of winner each year, ensuring that we are on the right track. And thanks, especially, to our past presidents, Gordon McIvor, and special adviser to the board, for producing the show under Mike Van Soelen, also past president, and chair of the Nation Builder Award this year. And to his fantastic team, John Gardiner and Nico Waltonbury. These kinds of events represent an enormous amount of work and time, and we couldn't have an event like this without these talented and extremely devoted volunteers. Finally, we certainly couldn't do this without the hard work of our office team, especially Ashley Gregory, who has done so much legwork getting us ready for today.

On a technical note, if you need technical support during the event, please contact nbsupport@bespokeav.ca, or use the chat feature in the bottom-right corner of the screen here. To get us started and to officially launch the fantastic lineup of guests we have for you today, the Canadian opera singer and singer-songwriter Charlotte Siegel will perform the national anthem.

National Anthem Performed by Charlotte Siegel

Antoinette Tummillo
Thank you so much, dear Charlotte. Always so lovely to listen to you sing. Now, we want to show you a video on the background of this award and why it is so important, not only to the Empire Club, but to the country as a whole. But before we do that, I want to remind everyone watching today that we are a very old institution in this country—so old, in fact, that we were already well-established when the last terrible pandemic swept through the world in 1918 and 1919. The Spanish Flu killed well over 21 million people worldwide, including at least 50,000 Canadians. And yet, when you go back and look at the speeches given at the Empire Club and elsewhere during that period, there was hardly a mention of the disease. This was not just a shortcoming at the Empire Club; the world was so death-weary from four years of war, and there were so many infectious diseases around that this mass killer was treated, more or less, like just another health problem. The fact that it would go on to kill more people in Canada than had been killed in the war didn't seem to change these attitudes.

Today, we meet in a lockdown due to the immense risks associated with the Novel Coronavirus. At first, we all thought that it might last a few weeks, maybe a month or so, and then we would return to our lives and pick right up where we left off. Well, humanity sure got that one really wrong. This has knocked us off our feet and led to a lot of introspection and re-evaluation of priorities, of systems in place that no longer made any sense, and of a category of men and women who were traditionally not a topic of conversation, tended to be underpaid, and who were in many instances visible to our eyes, but more or less invisible in our thoughts and minds. But all that was about to change.

Let's now watch this background video together, and look at how this virus changed society, and brought the frontline workers who have served us faithfully all of our lives into a new and well-deserved spotlight.

[VIDEO:]
2020 has challenged the world in ways few would have ever imagined. Over the past year, we have lived with rapid climate change, and increasingly radical politicized movements, and racial tensions. Then, we started to hear the stories of people falling ill around the world with what we would come to learn was COVID-19, a potentially deadly virus that people can carry around without even knowing it. By the end of March, industries and economies ground to a halt. We knew by then that this virus had reached pandemic levels, and that's when Canada began to show its true strength.

We have changed our ways of living and taking care of each other, at home and on the front lines of COVID-19. And frontline workers have made a world of difference protecting and caring for a country in quarantine, and then, acting as the foundation as our country rebuilds. They are the life-saving healthcare workers, the first responders we trust in emergencies, the people who produce and deliver our food, and the crisis workers serving the most vulnerable people in our community. Frontline workers are at the cash register of corner stores and gas stations, some of them are teaching and looking after our children, and they are all making invaluable contributions.

For this reason, the 2020 Nation Builder of the Year could not, in good conscience, be awarded to one person or organization. It is our turn, as the Empire Club of Canada, to recognize all frontline workers. This year's Nation Builders have inspired us all to use our unique talents and ideas to support the greater good. Musicians wrote songs of appreciation, we got out our pots and pans and took to the streets to cheer for the unsung heroes of our communities, children and their families painted windows and sidewalks with chalk drawings and positive messages. They will one day tell their children of the heroes all around us. Today, we express with this award, our deep gratitude to Canada's frontline workers. May we come to know and cherish their individual stories, and may their legacy live on long after we have conquered this unprecedented challenge.
[END OF VIDEO]

Antoinette Tummillo
Thanks to the communications team at Humber College in Toronto for putting this video together for us. And now, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to our Master of Ceremonies for today, a popular on-air personality at SportsCentre and TSN, who first came to our attention last year at this time when we staged the first Nation Builder of the Year Award at the Carlu Theatre in downtown Toronto. Many of you will recall how very different the world was 12 months ago. Canada was just coming off winning the NBA championship and felt a pride and exuberance that was exhilarating, like the world was our oyster, and that "We the North," could do anything we set our minds to. You remember those days, don't you?

We invited to the celebration of the Toronto Raptors a young journalist from TSN who got up on stage and gave a speech about dreaming big, about daring to go after those dreams, and about the gratitude that comes with living in a country where it is actually possible to achieve those dreams. Kayla Grey shared the stage with Masai Ujiri, as well as political and corporate leaders, and many will remember that she stole the show. We are just delighted to welcome her back today as our Master of Ceremonies. Kayla, a warm welcome.

Kayla Grey, Journalist, TSN
Thank you so much for having me. What an honour it is, and especially to honour those who truly are our heroes, frontline workers. I am so honoured and thrilled to be a part of this day. And I'm just delighted to be back with everyone as well, even though we're doing so with different means. But the Nation Builder of the Year Award is starting its life as an important component of our national fabric, isn't it? And I'm just thrilled to be able to contribute to its success in some small way. So, thank you guys again for having me back. I cannot say thank you enough.

I'm going to be guiding you through some testimonials today. Messages from Canadians from all walks of life, who wanted nothing more than to say thank you to our country's frontline workers as 2020 draws to a close. There are going to be many wonderful messages. And I won't really name—because of the time management—everything, but I will be introducing each one individual, rather than in groups. Each group of VIP speakers will be followed by one or two testimonials from regular Canadians who were selected from the many testimonials we received on our website from all across the country. One of these lucky folks who sent in a testimonial will win a cash prize of five thousand dollars—five thousand dollars—from a draw that was done earlier today, and that Antoinette will announce toward the end of today's event—call me! The non-VIP testimonials we show you on the screen today were selected to be made into videos from those we received on our website. Each of them, along with all of the testimonials we received from all across this country, were part of this random draw, and each had an equal chance of being selected as our winner today.

All right, everyone, let's get the show on the road. We're going to start with some very heartfelt messages from some of our political leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and Toronto Mayor John Tory. Now, these testimonials will be immediately followed by a message from football star turned frontline worker Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who shared an incredible story of how a Super Bowl champion gave up the limelight just to give back to his community.

Video Message from The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Hello everyone, bonjour à tous, and welcome to the Empire Club of Canada's Nation Builder of the Year Award event. I'm delighted to join you to honour and thank all of Canada's frontline workers. This past year has not been an easy one. The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed all of our lives. And through it, Canadians have stepped up to help. You've shown exactly what it means to be Canadian. We've seen neighbours helping neighbours, family members caring for one another, and complete strangers extending a helping hand to those who need it. And more than any other, we've seen those on the front lines of this pandemic go above and beyond for Canadians across the country. I'm talking about all of our essential workers who've stepped up and put themselves at risk to keep our hospitals operating, food on our grocery shelves, and our towns and cities moving. [Remarks in French].

As COVID-19 continues to spread in many places across the country. We all have a role to play in helping to keep our frontline workers safe. We all need to wear a mask, wash our hands, stay two meters apart, and download and use the COVID Alert app. Because we will only get through these challenging times, if we work together, if we all play for Team Canada. Once again, thank you to everyone working on the front lines of this pandemic. Our country will be forever grateful for your service. And thank you to the Empire Club for honouring our modern-day heroes. Stay safe and healthy, everyone. Merci.

Video Message from Perry Bellegarde, Grand Chief, Assembly of First Nations
[Remarks in Cree]. My friends and relatives, thank you for the opportunity to share this beautiful day with you. I'm Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. I'm speaking to you today from unceded Algonquin Territory here in Ottawa. I want to thank the Empire Club for the opportunity to add my voice in honouring all those good people who have worked so hard to keep us safe and keep us well in the face of this terrible pandemic. When I think of the heroic work that has been done, I think of a word that's often used in Cree, the language of my people, and that word is "Wahkohtowin." Wahkohtowin is about relationships, and it's about responsibilities. The word Wahkohtowin is similar to the way we say we're family, and we're relatives. But Wahkohtowin extends, also, to our neighbours, to all those we are in relationships with, and indeed, to the whole world around us. Crucially, in our worldview, all these relationships carry with them a responsibility to stand together, to be there for one another, and to lift each other up. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of loss, a lot of suffering, a lot of fear and anxiety. But we have also seen relationship-building, or Wakohtowin in its true sense.

My heart goes out to all the families who have lost loved ones, and to all my sisters and brothers who continue to live with the fear and anxiety about what tomorrow may bring. I also want to acknowledge that our communities have done an extraordinary job to try to keep COVID-19 out and to minimize its impact. And I could talk all night about the communities who acted in the first days of the pandemic to track down the personal protective equipment that they might need, the communities who organized food deliveries for the elderly, the organizations that translated health information into our First Nations languages. This was done quickly, it was done well, and it was accomplished by working together.

For First Nations, the numbers of frontline workers in the conventional sense are few. Some of our communities might have only a single year-round health worker; the next nearest nurse, or nurse practitioner, or doctor, might be a plane flight away. The demands on our frontline workers have been extraordinary, which is all the more reason to be grateful for them. Fortunately, our medical professionals and care workers have not had to stand alone. When the threat of COVID-19 loomed, entire communities mobilized. Everyone became frontline workers. I thank all of you and lift you all up for your efforts and the good examples you're setting. [Remarks in Cree]. Thank you.

Video Message from The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives, but it has also brought out the best in all of us. I've seen tremendous acts of strength, selflessness, and spirit, the Ontario spirit, from the people who call this province home. They have answered the call in countless ways, whether it was retooling their businesses to make PPE, delivering meals to seniors or those in need, or pursuing research for a treatment or a vaccine. My friends, our province and our country have faced tough times before, and we have always come through stronger than ever before. Today, we recognize the hundreds of thousands of frontline heroes who have stepped up from the outset of this pandemic. Today, we thank them for putting their community ahead of themselves. Because of their heroic efforts, we avoided the worst during this first wave. And together with our collective efforts to support them, we will get through the second wave.

I want to give a special shout-out to some of those making a real difference. Thank you to the nurses, doctors, PSWs, paramedics, lab staff, and first responders; thank you to our mayors, our local medical officers of health, and their teams; thank you to the transit operators; thank you to the grocery store clerks, truckers, and farmers; thank you to all the non-profit and community organizations and their armies of volunteers; thank you to our educators; thank you to our businesses who are protecting their workers and customers; and thank you to everyone on the front lines working hard to keep us all safe and healthy. All of Ontario is grateful for the courage and dedication you have shown throughout the pandemic. You're all absolute champions. Thank you, and God bless each and every one of you.

Video Message from His Worship John Tory, Mayor of Toronto
Hello, I'm John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto, and I'm delighted to be part of the Empire Club of Canada honouring the Nation Builder of the Year 2020. And what an appropriate choice, what a wonderful choice to honour our frontline workers. And I want to just share for a couple of minutes what I've seen from our frontline workers, because I think I'm at a unique vantage point to witness things that others may not get a chance to see.

Maybe I'll start with our own city workers. You know, cities across the country had to keep going. The water had to turn on, and the waste had to be picked up, and the parks had to be kept clean—the parks were especially important to people that needed to get outside during the pandemic—the transit system had to continue to run. And those workers showed up every day. They did a great job, often in challenging circumstances, keeping those services going for people, especially the most vulnerable people. They were the people who worked in our shelters and places like that. I mentioned the transit system. I mean, we had—the ridership plummeted, of course. But there were people, including some of those very same frontline workers, who had to get to work, and they only rely on the transit system; they don't have a car. And so, the transit system workers were there, you know, week after week, month after month, day after day. And again sometimes in circumstances where they were concerned about their own health, just given the fact that we were very uncertain—and still are—about this virus that's caused us so much difficulty.

And then we move on, of course, to the healthcare system. I had a chance to be in an emergency room and just could see the people taking such good care. And they had their regular workload to deal with, but they also had COVID-19 patients. And the compassion, and the extra circumstances they had to work in with the PPE, and all the different things that had to be done to control infection, was just something incredible. And, you know, you can see a bit of that compassion, and caring, and reflection in the face of the frontline worker depicted in this mural at Queen in Portland in downtown Toronto. Emanuel Jairus, a very talented street artist here in Canada, put this together as a tribute to the frontline workers.

And so, and finally, I'll just mention the people who are working in the, with the vulnerable populations in long-term care and so on. So, I just can only say to them a heartfelt thank you. They did service beyond belief, service beyond comprehension, service above and beyond the call of duty, and they richly deserve to be named Nation Builder of the Year. Thank you very much, frontline workers.

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, NFL player, frontline medical worker
Hi, my name is Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. It's really an honour to be here today. It's not every day that you get a chance to speak at one of the most prestigious clubs in Canada. And I'm really grateful to do it, to share my personal story but also on behalf of every healthcare worker who's been working on the front line through this pandemic. I had an opportunity, I think, back in April, to contribute, to be part of that movement of healthcare professional that went back and helped in those long-term care facilities to face this crisis. I did it to go back and help, but I also did it because I feel, as a professional athlete, you get so many, you know, support and privileges through your career that it's important, at some point to, to give back, and to go back and help. And in the world that we're living in right now, all the little sacrifices count. Everything that you do—washing your hands, wearing your mask—it's little, personal, individual sacrifices, like, at the end of the day, make the difference. We've got to realize that all of our action matters. Everything that we do has an impact. And it's not just about you, it's not just about your close friends, your parents, or your grandparents; it's also about our communities in general. And the populations that we're working with in the long-term care facilities are really vulnerable and fragile. And I feel like now, more than ever, we've got to be cautious of what we do, and the risks that we impose on ourselves, but also on those people.

Winning the Super Bowl, for me, was probably my biggest accomplishment as a professional athlete. And to come back home and feel the support from my community and everybody here was, was so amazing. And at some point, I realized, like, okay, I gotta move on, I gotta get into, you know, the next season, I gotta refocus. So, I went on vacation for a little bit. And when I came back, it was actually the first day that the government put in place isolation measures for returning travellers. And at the beginning, I was crushed; like, I felt like I didn't deserve it, and it was all about me, you know, my off-season. And I quickly switched my mindset to, like, all right, I'm still really privileged. Like, there's people that are really struggling right now, and it's important to help.

And I tried to go back and work as a doctor. But because I don't have my residency and my licence to practice yet, it was hard for me to do so. Instead, I went back and helped in the long-term care facility. And I was really part of a movement of thousands of people that went back. And it's really an honour for me to be here today. As a professional athlete, a future physician, it's an honour for me to take part in this event; but more so, to be part of the team that I'm working with on a day-to-day basis, with all those doctors, nurses, and orderlies who are making the real sacrifice. The real one.

Kayla Grey
Thank you so much. I mean, just incredibly powerful. And thank you to the leaders for agreeing to help us honour our frontline heroes. Now, we have been so dependent on our elected officials getting it right over the past nine months—I mean, I would never put up my hand to be in those roles making those very important decisions. But it has been acknowledged around the world that Canada fared well because our politicians came together, put partisanship aside, in more cases than not—something that did not occur in every jurisdiction. And how about the story from Laurent Duvernay-Tardif? He's really the kind of Canadian that makes us all so grateful and proud to claim this country as our own.

Okay, let's shift gears now, and hear from some of the folks from the entertainment industry, who never stopped directing, acting, or singing, and they helped make us forget about our problems, keeping us entertained. Never has the entertainment industry played such an important role in letting us continue to dream big and to scale the walls around us, as we stayed inside of our four walls—like, this is my fridge right here. Here are iconic Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, young movie and television star brothers from Scarborough, Stefan James and Shamier Anderson, and Juno Award-winning jazz singer Sophie Milman. Now, this video is going to be followed by a testimonial about a very special food industry worker on the front lines in Prince Edward Island.

Video Message from Atom Egoyan, filmmaker
Hi, this is Adam Egoyan. And rather than give my thanks to all of the frontline health workers who are just doing such an extraordinary job, I want to give my thanks to one particular health worker who is allowing me to have contact with my mother on the other side of the country. And if it wasn't for this person—that's my mother, that's Liliana. And she has just been doing this heroic job; her and everyone else who really help out every day, and help out so many people like my mother, who are in their homes, and whose offspring—like my sister and I—are across the country. It just wouldn't be possible to, to really have a life, really, without these people. And I'm just eternally thankful, to Liliana in particular, and to everyone who's helping my mother. And to everyone who's helping all of our parents and all of our loved ones, and making this really extraordinarily stressful, difficult time, human. So, so thank you for being the human beings in our life that remind us of how connected we are, and how essential it is that we care for each other, acknowledge, and be able to express our love and our humanity to each other. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Video Message from Stephan James & Shamier Anderson, Actors and Activists
Shamier Anderson:What's up, Canada?
Stephan James:What's up, Canada? We're here to tell you it's time.
Shamier Anderson:Time for what, you ask? Time for love, time for hope.
Stephan James:But above all, it's time for gratitude.
Shamier Anderson:Got it?
Stephan James:Gratitude for sacrifice. Sacrifice for you, for me, and for all of us.
Shamier Anderson:Our doctors, our nurses, our grocery store workers, our truckers, and warehouse workers, that girl at Starbucks who makes our coffee, our Uber Eats drivers, and yes, our mental health workers and those who enforce our laws, understanding the stress so many are now going through.
Stephan James:Their sacrifice, their commitment, their determination day after day after day—that is what makes love and hope still possible in these difficult times.
Shamier Anderson:Stephan and I know a bit about sacrifice. We come from a single-parent home in the projects of Scarborough.
Stephan James:A single mom from Jamaica whose middle name was sacrifice. A mom who came to Canada and then gave it all up for us. She joined our Canadian troops and built a life here in Canada, rooted in love and focused on hope.
Shamier Anderson:And just like our frontline workers, she lived the power of sacrifice. She kept our family—me and my brothers—glued together, together in love and hope, when so much was out there that could have pulled us apart. Our mom made the impossible possible for us. She fought for her kids when no one else would.
Stephan James:Just like our frontline workers are doing for all Canadians today. Their sacrifice is the thing that's keeping Canada united in hope, united in hope and love during the toughest time most of us can remember.
Shamier Anderson:Their fight for us matters. They are the ones taking the risk to keep us all safe. All of us. Whether we are white, Black, Indigenous, People of Colour in Canada—everyone counts, and everyone matters.
Stephan James:And their families and loved ones are a huge part of that sacrifice, too. Long days and lonely nights filled with worry and rescued only by faith.
Shamier Anderson:Faith that all of us will do our part to end this threat to the amazing possibility that we call Canada. Masks, social distancing, no crowds. A place of hope and love for everyone, from everywhere on this planet.
Stephan James:It's all about giving. And we need to celebrate them all, here and now.
Shamier Anderson:All right, Canada. So, I need you to raise your glass, or whatever you have in front of you, right now. Brothers and sisters, raise your glasses in tribute. To you, our frontline workers, and for the love and sense of duty that inspires you.
Stephan James:For the hope of a brighter tomorrow that inspires all of us. For you, your families, and your sacrifice for all Canadians, just when we need it the most.
Shamier Anderson:Thank you, frontline workers. Thanks to all of you. We can do this.
Stephan James:And God bless you all. God bless all of Canada, and every single Canadian. Thank you.
Shamier Anderson:Cheers. Go Canada!

Video Message from Sophie Milman, Jazz Singer
Hi there, my name is Sophie Millman, and I'm a jazz singer. I feel that throughout this pandemic I've had a choice. The choice to stay home, huddle with my family, get groceries delivered if I wanted to. But so many people don't have that choice. People like doctors, nurses, care workers, paramedics, policemen and women, teachers, grocery clerks—people who go out day after day and keep our community working as smoothly as it possibly can through great adversity, through great personal risk. And I've chosen the song by Shirley Horn to capture the way I feel about you and what you've done for all of us throughout this entire period. [Excerpt from "Here's to Life," by Shirley Horn performed].

Video Message from Lee Turner, PEI Dairy Farmer — on Behalf of Frontline Grocery Cashier Pam Smallman
Hi, I'm Lee Turner from ADL, a dairy cooperative here in Prince Edward Island. 2020's been the year of the frontline worker, including grocery store workers at places like this one, the Summerside Superstore. So come on, let's mask up, go inside, there's someone I want you to meet: Pam Smallman. On Friday, March 13th, everything changed for food retail in Canada, including the Summerside Superstore, where store manager Pam Smallman led her team through a series of changes that have become permanent to protect both her staff and consumers. Those changes include directional markings on the floor, the sanitation of carts and fixtures, new access lanes for people who have used PC Express Click and Collect, Plexiglas at the checkouts, and a number of other changes. Pam Smallman led those changes based on anchoring thoughts around colleagues and consumers. Her leadership is one of the reasons why frontline workers across Canada are the Nation Builders of the Year in 2020. Pam feels she represents all food workers in Canada, all women in leadership positions, and all Maritimers. And I ask all Canadians on their next grocery pickup order to find someone like Pam Smallman and say thank you.

Kayla Grey
[indiscernible] and, you know, making sure that we're saying thank you to those in our day-to-day passing. So, Pam again, thank you for all of your work. What a lineup! I mean, it's always so gratifying for a journalist to witness Canadian talent that is recognized far beyond our borders. I always argue that Canada is like the best export when it comes to talent. And we sometimes forget that Canada is a leader in sending stars and movie television productions around the world. Because of people like we have just heard from, we are in great hands to emerge from this crisis with a renewed look, and outlook, and a focus on being on top of our game.

All right, our next category could be entitled "All Folks Who Have Done It All," but we have called it "Literature," for the sake of this production. John Ralston Saul has been called one of the great authors and philosophers to come out of Canada, and will be forever remembered for his iconic book, "Voltaire's Bastards." He spends a lot of time thinking about Canada and what this country means to the world, as does his wife, former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. Now, for all of you out there in our audience who are under 30—I am also—you may not remember that Adrienne Clarkson was also one of the leading Canadian journalists of the 20th century. That I do know. Their testimonial will be followed by a lovely testimonial on a remarkable frontline worker by the name of Marcia Brown. You're not going to want to miss her story.

Video Message from John Ralston Saul, Author & The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Former Governor General of Canada
Adrienne Clarkson:We're so happy that the Empire Club is honouring frontline workers during this terrible pandemic. They're the people who take the brunt of everything that's happening. And I think immediately, of course, of our health workers. People who are....
John Ralston Saul:Doctors, and nurses and...
Adrienne Clarkson:Doctors, nurses...
John Ralston Saul:...all the staff in the hospitals.
Adrienne Clarkson:...everybody who cleans, everybody who's in contact with anyone who comes into hospitals—they're frontline people.
John Ralston Saul:I've been in the hospitals a couple of times over, in this period. And you just see the stress, and how hard they're working, and how difficult it is.
Adrienne Clarkson:And how wonderfully good-humoured they continue to be...
John Ralston Saul:The politeness.
Adrienne Clarkson:...considering that, you know, we don't know anything when we go into a hospital. We [indiscernible]....
John Ralston Saul:And volunteers, who are actually pouring into the hospitals, which is really interesting.
Adrienne Clarkson:Wonderful. And I think of the teachers of our grandchildren...
John Ralston Saul:Yeah.
Adrienne Clarkson:...our four grandchildren in school. And they are going every day, under very difficult conditions.
John Ralston Saul:And it's very complicated. Because it keeps changing. And parents don't know, the kids don't know. And it's very, very hard to do the stuff online.
Adrienne Clarkson:It's so difficult to work when you're not certain of what your job is supposed to really be. I mean, it's to be there, right? But also, you're under conditions where you're uncertain. You want to be certain that you're, you're able to care for the kids, that you're distanced, that you also can communicate what you're supposed to be doing because you're teaching. And the same goes with the, the medical care workers, I think, who have to work under great stress.
John Ralston Saul:You know, or part of trying to figure out what this is. I mean, they know so much more than they did. But still, we don't really know enough, sort of thing. But, you know, I also think of Howard and his friends at our local hardware store.
Adrienne Clarkson:Absolutely.
John Ralston Saul:They're fabulous. They're fabulous, and they're very well-organized, you know.
Adrienne Clarkson:Yeah. And they're—the people in contact at grocery stores, even though we have social distancing and there are the screens. They're there every day, because they have to be there, they have to work, and they're taking the risks. They're taking the risks for a lot of us who perhaps can say, well, we're only going to go out a certain amount of time. The streetcar drivers...
John Ralston Saul:The streetcar, the subway...
Adrienne Clarkson:...the bus. All of those people...
John Ralston Saul:Amazing. It's quite amazing.
Adrienne Clarkson:...the people who continue to collect the garbage, who do all of that.
John Ralston Saul:The guys on bicycles delivering—everybody's turning to take-out food. Well, you know, people who are driving those bicycles or cars and bringing it to the front door and so on.
Adrienne Clarkson:And that means, really, that we thank you.
John Ralston Saul:Yeah.
Adrienne Clarkson:We thank you, the frontline workers who are terrific.
John Ralston Saul:And we do have to think about the fact that we've spent a couple of decades cutting back in a lot of those areas, so that a lot of those people are minimum wage or less, and very part-time. And we really have to think—we have to look ourselves in the mirror and think, the best way to thank them is to make sure that they can live properly and well, with proper wages and guarantees in their jobs.
Adrienne Clarkson:Absolutely. Congratulations to you.
John Ralston Saul:And thank you very much, all of you.
Adrienne Clarkson:Thank you.

Video Message from Paul Barry, on Behalf of Frontline Worker Marcia Brown
Hello, my name is Paul Barry. It is my great honour to represent my friend Marcia Brown, Founder and Executive Director of Trust15, who is being recognized with today's other frontline heroes for the Empire Club of Canada's Nation Builder of the Year Award. They have all undertaken enormous efforts and made significant personal sacrifices to keep us safe through this pandemic. Marcia is highly deserving of this special recognition for her unrelenting work in the economically disadvantaged communities of Rexdale and North Etobicoke. She serves at-risk youth who are 98 percent Black and 85 percent from low-income and single-parent homes. The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly devastating in these underserved communities, and Marcia has worked selflessly to provide essential food, protective face masks, cleaning products, and other needs directly to households across the area. She has found innovative ways to meet unfulfilled needs, solve problems, and recruit resources to keep the community safe and functioning while bringing people together.

Marcia's cheerful, optimistic, and friendly presence inspires hope. She has attracted an incredible group of supporters, dedicated volunteers, and benefactors, who are compelled to lend assistance. Last summer, during the record-breaking heatwave, Marcia procured electric fans to relieve sweltering conditions for apartment dwellers without air conditioning, who were forced inside during the pandemic. Marcia has organized large-scale efforts for the area's best seamstresses to provide frontline workers and the community with face masks. Due to the pandemic, all Trust15 programs were cancelled, including its mentorship programs for young women and men, which seek to increase self-esteem and empower leadership. Marcia would not be deterred and worked tenaciously to establish a virtual leadership speaker series, to keep the youth engaged and inspired. Marcia's tireless efforts have paid off, and since the mid-summer, Trust15 has presented a phenomenal roster of accomplished speakers that address topical issues like Black Lives Matter by promoting positive behaviour, creative expression, and cooperative working skills.

Quote from John Tory:"Thank you to Marcia, who is one of my heroes, because I'm so admiring of who she is and what she is, and of the work she does through Trust15. And of all of you, you know, because she is like—you know, I don't know, she's somebody that's, like, your patron saint."

When many students and their parents were worried about returning to school last September, Marcia invited the Minister of Education to meet via Zoom to address their concerns about health protocols to keep kids safe. TD Bank recently donated 50 laptop computers and funding to support this mentorship program and expand online learning. Marcia is a remarkable person with an enormous heart. Her impact on families throughout these communities is immeasurable, and her compassion inspires us all. We are so proud that Marcia is included as a frontline hero for the Nation Builder of the Year Award. Congratulations, Marcia.

Kayla Grey
And thank you so much. Marcia, for all that you do for our communities. Now, if Adrienne Clarkson was a Governor General—and she was, as I said earlier, a prominent journalist in her day, and, of course, was a pioneer, a trailblazer, for so many journalists, not just females like myself—this next testimonial is close to my heart, especially because it comes from the woman who is 2020's most recognized female journalist in the country. She has reported from all over Canada and, of course, the world. And today, I can say, she's a colleague of mine. It blows my mind that I get to say that, because I grew up watching her, and I idolized her. Lisa Laflamme, CTV National News Chief Anchor, has this calming presence about her. And I think it has helped a lot of us, because she's reported on the cases of COVID-19 in Canada, and she still remains so calm and so trustworthy. And it's an honour that we get to watch her every single night, as we gingerly make our way through these dangerous and tough times. Her testimonial will be followed by the remarkable story of the men and women who collect waste every day and keep our country clean.

Video Message from Lisa Laflamme, CTV National News Anchor
Hello everyone, I'm Lisa Laflamme from CTV National News. And since March of this unprecedented year, we've covered day after day stories about the impact of COVID-19 on Canadians. It's been an emotional time for everyone. For me, reporting on this selfless bravery of frontline workers in hospitals, long-term care homes, and healthcare settings has been both uplifting and, at the same time, heart-wrenching. Seeing daily the firsthand lived experiences of those medical professionals who have not only risked their own lives every day, but done so with grace and tenacity. The tireless work of nurses, doctors, orderlies, personal support workers, all frontline staff, has exposed more than ever the enormous burden they carry to save lives and comfort those sick from this disease and their families. We've seen them armed and shielded with PPE, working endless days fighting this pandemic, all the while doing whatever is needed to be done to keep their own families safe.

Thankfully, for me personally, I haven't had anyone in my family suffer from COVID. But this seat has been a window into that reality, as we reflect back to Canadians the stories of dedication and compassion from our frontline workers. And for all of those examples we've been able to share with our viewers, I know there are countless more untold stories of the selflessness and hard work happening every minute of the day across this country. As Canadians, we owe such a debt of gratitude to every frontline worker. Their dedication and readiness to take on this virus wave after wave makes me feel safe, and it makes me feel proud. This moment in time is not forever, but our admiration and our thanks to our frontline workers is forever, and I thank you.

Now, in a total departure from anything I've ever done from this desk—I have got the one pot that I could find in the national newsroom—and I salute you, frontline workers. You are our heroes. Put this back in the archives now. Bye, everyone.

Video Message from Jaclyn Carrigan, Waste Connections Canada
Early every morning, your waste and recycling workers get up to serve our communities with pride. In the recent face of fears and anxieties, Waste Connections of Canada frontline workers have risen above, embodying what we know best—together, we're better.

Quote from Dan Pio, President, Waste Connections of Canada:"We provide an essential service to communities across this nation. While residents are huddled in their homes, ordering packaged goods and food online, starting a renovation or a big cleanup, our frontline workers are there to support them. We're proud to be part of what made staying home easier, providing a sense of normalcy during these uncertain times."

Quote from Jason Scully, Roll-Off Driver:"I have felt safe with the little changes that we've made with masks, and different staggered starting times. It's little things that make the big picture a little easier."

Quote from Julie Wilson, District Manager:"Well, I'm always very proud of our guys here. And, you know, this situation has just made me that much more proud, I think. You know, like I said, they come in every day, and I don't think they really think about it even being a pandemic other than the extra precautions we have in place; they just know they have a job to do."

With COVID-related safety precautions added to an already safety-first mindset, our frontline employees adapted quickly and efficiently to social distancing, mask-wearing, and regular washing of hands. Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of Canadian families guide our every decision.

Quote from Jason Scully:"So, hero? I don't know. Essential? Sure. Important? Yes."

Quote from Wayne Kuehl, Front-End Driver:"Yes, I have, I get a lot of gratitude from my customers thanking me during my daily procedures and things like that, where I'll go into a customer, and they'll actually come out to greet me. It's quite nice."

Quote from John Taylor, Roll-Off Driver:"I do feel safe here, yes. They do provide everything, PPE and everything we need—so I feel good about it. Yep."

For keeping our trucks on the road, our employees have received so much recognition from our communities for their tireless efforts and exceptional performance during this period. Handwritten notes and cards given to our drivers, gifts left on bins, and emails to express gratitude, kids on their lawns waving as our big trucks drive by. We'd like to not only thank every employee, but also the families, friends, colleagues, and neighbours that support and enable us to meet our commitments to you each and every day.

Quote from Dan Pio:Thank you, from Waste Connections of Canada.

Kayla Grey
That's great. Now, we all heard a lot about the impact of the pandemic on corporations as they quickly retooled, bolstered supply chains, and looked for new ways to continue operations. Small businesses were especially hit hard, and we all know about the many restaurants and corner stores that did not make it. Corporate leaders who were able to quickly pivot to the new reality often found creative ways to stay afloat. And throughout the process, their frontline employees showed up faithfully for work, day after day, whenever it was possible to do so.

Let's listen to some of these leaders, as they express their gratitude to these men and women who literally made it possible for many corporations to keep on going. The CEO of Sobeys, Michael Medline, knows a thing or two about this topic, as his employee base was particularly important to keeping food on the table for Canadians all across the country during this time. We're also going to hear from Canada's favourite tech entrepreneur, the star of Dragon's Den, Michele Romanow. And then, we're going to hear from the head of Canadian National Railroad, Jean-Jacques Ruest, who kept our supply chain strong and intact from one coast to the other. After CN, we're going to hear from one of the leaders from the banking industry, Victor Dodig, who tells the story of the many thousands of men and women who kept reporting to work every day to serve Canadians' financial needs. This will all be followed by a moving testimonial about the frontline workers in the automotive sector, as told by the president of the APMA, Flavio Volpe, and a lovely story about helping out some seniors from an organization called Elder Strong Canada.

Video Message from Michael Medline, CEO, Sobey's, CEO, Sobey's
Hi, I'm Michael Medline. Frontline heroes are the rightful choice to claim this year's Nation Builder Award from the Empire Club. I'm honoured to recognize and thank everyone on the front lines in Canada's grocery industry. This year, all grocery stores were faced with an immense challenge. And the heroes in grocery retail rose to the occasion. Grocery stores have always been the central hub of any community. They sponsor our local sports teams, donate to food banks, it's where many get their first job, and many pursue great careers. And now, they'll always proudly wear the essential service badge of honour.

Grocery stores continue to be critical to provide Canadians with the food, the medicine, and essentials they need for their families during this terrible pandemic. Working hard behind the scenes of your local grocery store is a tremendous, large, committed network of people hustling to keep shelves stocked. They are the local suppliers who have transformed their small businesses overnight, the assembly line workers who produce the food for our tables, the CPG companies, the suppliers and producers who continue to innovate and navigate unprecedented demand, our local farmers and growers who continue to be resilient under so much strain and stress, the mom-and-pop shops who adapted to continue serving their customers, the distribution centre teams who worked through extreme chaos, while the supply chain was hanging by a thread, the truck drivers—the real lifeblood of Canada's supply chain—and of course the friendly teammates who wipe down your carts and now help you check out from behind a Plexiglas shield.

The food supply chain represents hundreds of thousands of jobs across Canada, and I'm incredibly proud of how our industry continues to persevere through this historic public health crisis. Canada's grocery heroes made sure we did not have a countrywide food crisis in the midst of a global health crisis. And Canadians made sure the grocery industry felt their love. Some customers made posters with words of encouragement or wrote them notes of thanks. These small gestures go a long way. To all of the frontline grocery workers, thank you for everything you've done and will continue to do. I encourage all Canadians to please thank your local grocery clerk, your local store manager, and support your local restaurants when you can. They are such an important source of the food chain in Canada. We know this terrible pandemic isn't over yet. But we will weather the storm together. Thank you to all of our selfless frontline workers across Canada. We salute you today, and every day.

Video Message from Michele Romanow, Entrepreneur, Dragon’s Den Personality
Hi, it's Michele Romanow from Dragon's Den. And I couldn't be more proud to present this year's Nation Builder Award to the frontline workers in Canada. Every nurse, doctor, grocery store worker, who was on the front lines of this pandemic. I couldn't imagine the fear that people felt this year as we were going into this, not knowing what was going to happen, how severe this disease was. And these were really the workers that kept our families and our economy alive throughout this crisis.

I had a tiny glimpse of this when, early on, me and my partner Anatoliy, we had known a lot about bringing in goods from China. So, I made a single Instagram post on a story that said, you know, if you're looking for PPE, we might be able to help out. I have genuinely never seen something go this viral. I had calls from police chiefs in [indiscernible], heads of hospitals all across the country, and realizing that frontline workers didn't even have the most basic things to go in to keep themselves protected and to do their jobs. You know, fast forward—Safe Direct Medical Supplies brought in over 10 million masks, over 5 million gallons of hand sanitizer. But I got to see some of the incredible stress that went through our frontline workers' minds every single day as they worked day in, day out, managing this crisis. So, I couldn't be more grateful to you, and thank you so much for your work and making Canada such an incredible place to be. Now, let's celebrate.

Video Message from Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN CEO
Bonjour à tous, [Remarks in French] I am honoured to have this opportunity to represent corporate Canada, our people, and CN, to pay tribute to all Canadian frontline workers for winning the Nation Builder Award this year. There are so many people, communities, and industries that are surviving the pandemic because of the extraordinary effort of frontline workers. Here at CN, we have a dedicated team of 25,000 railroaders—over 19,000 of my colleagues on the front line, 24/7. They are running trains, moving containers, fixing tracks, enabling port supply chains. They are all safely working toward a common goal: to keep goods moving and to protect the North American economy.

Our CN railroaders serve many different customers. For example, our frontline workers make sure that farmers' grain moves to port, things like wheat, beans, peas, lentils, things that feed the people of the world. Our people also work with global shipping companies, whose vessels bring essential goods from overseas for our day-to-day lives. Our container trains are filled with these essential everyday consumer items. Our CN frontline workers move this product daily from faraway ports to the store shelves of your cities. And CN frontline workers also make sure that products like bulk alcohol for hand sanitizer, plastic pellets for medical supplies, and hygiene paper for your home, gets delivered to manufacturing facilities or distribution centres throughout the country.

Whether you work in healthcare, food and grocery, emergency response, or transportation, you have provided care and dedication with your long hours away from your own families. Your burden has been heavy—you are heroes for the work you have done and continue to do. [Remarks in French]. I have never been so proud to represent CN, with all of our people. Despite the challenge, you never stop coming to work to safely serve our customers and to move the economy. And finally, to all Canadian frontline workers, on behalf of all of us here at CN, thank you for your dedicated commitment. We sincerely appreciate you, and all the tireless dedication. You all are so deserving of this year's Nation Builder Award. Congratulations, stay strong, and grand merci.

Video Message from Victor Dodig, CIBC CEO
Hello, I'm Victor Dodig, President and CEO of CIBC. On behalf of the entire CIBC team, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the many award recipients of this year's Nation Builder of the Year Award: our country's frontline workers. Back in March, when the world stopped, our frontline workers didn't. Despite so many unknowns, you rose to the very real challenge of keeping your community safe, fed, and as comfortable as possible. From essential retail workers, to transit and delivery drivers, to the frontline team members at banks and credit unions across our country, and many others, thank you for the critical role you've played in keeping Canada strong over the past nine months. [Remarks in French] .

And to those on the front lines of our healthcare system, we know you've taken on a burden that goes beyond long hours on the front line and reaches into your personal life, affecting your family and those closest to you. The current situation reminds us of how much we count on you every day, and how much we're asking of you now. Your selfless acts have not gone unnoticed. We will get through this. When we do, let's never forget that when things were challenging, it was an inclusive approach that helped bring us back—everyone playing their part across the economy and across the street. To Canada's frontline workers, there is no better recipient for such a prestigious award. Thank you for all that you are doing for our country.

Video Message from Flavio Volpe, President, APMA & Ali Salam
What a year 2020 has been. It's a great honour sitting here right now in early December, honouring the frontline workers. The Empire Club of Canada asked us to be involved and to give our perspective on how important, in this year that the world has fallen apart, an unprecedented global pandemic has restricted our movements, our actions, our dreams, our hopes, our abilities to meet our families and friends, and to stay safe.

Auto parts suppliers and auto manufacturers in this country stepped up to the plate in March in a way that we hadn't done so since the Second World War. The country needed us; we could manufacture things at scale. We had a hundred thousand people who could make masks, and gowns, and swabs, and ventilators, and face shields. And the country needed it, and the industry stepped up in very short order. Hundreds of companies, thousands of workers who went to work every day, while everybody else stayed home and stayed safe. This is the story of how that came to be:

Quotes from Various News Broadcasts in 2020: "China has identified the cause of the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan City." "Now, growing concerns about the deadly Coronavirus." "How serious is this? What's keeping you up at night?"

We started to see the pandemic having an effect on the auto industry in December or January. You know, a lot of our supply lines go into China, and China was gripped with this Novel Coronavirus. We were seeing, especially the Canadian companies who have plants in China, reporting back to us saying they've had rotating shutdowns, and/or they were dealing with public health shutdowns. You know, we were looking at export controls being announced in the weekend, maybe at the 13th or 14th of March, and I thought, you know what? We don't make any of these medical devices—especially the complicated ones, like ventilators—in any volume that we require here in Canada.

Quote from The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario:"I've also heard from the Automotive Parts Manufacturing Association. They've offered their support, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten new offers for help."

Quote from the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada:"The Auto Parts Manufacturers' Association reached out to us asking how they could help."

Here's Tesla. Honda, they reached out about a week ago and said, what can we do? We said, face shields. They—and I sent them the open spec from Magna. We did an announcement where four of the five biggest auto suppliers in Canada—Linamar, Magna, Martinrea, and ABC—are helping this great company that we found that makes ventilators in Canada here in Brampton called O2.

Quote from The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario:"You see how talented our teams are here in Ontario. They switched over lines, in some cases in a week, in some cases in two weeks; we were able to start producing ventilators by the thousands, now. And we were in a crisis before."

We gave it everything we had, around the clock, for months. I think what we did—if not, if we failed at everything else, history at the end says that was a good effort, but you were wrong. I think we raised in the public consciousness an understanding that through the dignity of making things.

Video Message from Kathi Wood, Elder Strong Canada
Hi, I'm honoured to be here today representing Elder Strong Canada, and to speak about our movement for change around aging. My name is Kathi Wood. I'm here at my home in Collingwood, Ontario, at the Tremont Studio Building on Creative Simcoe Street, one of my favourite spots in town. I am a frontline worker. I worked in recreation therapy in long-term care homes before, and during times of COVID. I wanted to thank the Empire Club of Canada for allowing everyday people like ourselves to tell our story at your tribute to Canada's frontline worker.

Elder Strong Canada is on a mission to change hearts and minds around aging. The Elder Strong Canada group page on Facebook is a spin-off of a page started in 2015 for older adults. This page was created to help combat loneliness and isolation. Over the years, we've started coming together as older adults in Canada wanting to make a difference as a group. We are care partners, Indigenous Elders, children and grandchildren of older adults, intergenerational program supporters, personal support workers, dance, art, and music teachers currently teaching online. And when COVID-19 hit, our mission became very clear, and the Elder Strong Canada group was formed. And now, moving forward, the Elder Strong Canada movement for change.

Kayla Grey
Thank you so much. Well, a year ago, most people in this country had no idea who the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada was and were probably unaware that each province or territory had a similar position. The WHO was a faraway organization that didn't really have much to do with Canadians and was most often associated with disease outbreaks in other continents, and places we didn't really concern ourselves too much with, unless we were specifically involved in humanitarian programs, or had families in these countries. No one would have ever guessed that these health professionals would enter our living rooms every single day, giving us the lates updates on the progression of the virus, and pleading us to take the necessary steps to protect not only ourselves, but each other.

A couple of weeks ago, the Empire Club welcomed its podium to the most senior health official on the planet, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. And he talked about Canada's response to the pandemic. Let's listen to him, followed by a testimonial from our own most senior health official, Theresa Tam. These video clips will be followed by a tribute to the frontline workers at Frigo Virtual, in Québec.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO)
I'm delighted to hear that the Empire Club will give its annual Nation Builder of the Year Award next month to the country's health and other frontline workers. Recently, member states at the World Health Assembly designated 2021 as the International Year of Healthcare and Care Workers, recognizing the dedication and the sacrifice of the millions of health and care workers at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks, also, to my friend John Kirtan. I also want to greet all those who have joined us online. On behalf of WHO, I would like to thank Prime Minister Trudeau, his cabinet, your provincial premiers, local mayors, and the millions of people across your country for the leadership Canada has displayed during this pandemic.

Video Message from Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
Hello everyone, bonjour à tous. I'm Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer. I'm honoured to take a few moments to thank all of our frontline workers for the sacrifices they have made over the last ten months. [Remarks in French]. I would like to acknowledge that Ottawa, where I film this video, is located on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation, and I thank the Algonquin People for their stewardship of this land.

We are living in an unprecedented time. Together, we are experiencing something that the world has not seen in living memory. I want to start off by saying that you, the frontline workers, have truly been the engine of Canada's pandemic response. Whether you work in a healthcare setting, grocery store, food processing plant, in transportation, technology, or in other essential services, you have been instrumental in maintaining the health, safety, security, and economic well-being of Canadians.

Earlier this year, you may have found that all of a sudden, going to work put you at a higher risk of infection. You quickly had to adapt to new ways of working to keep yourself and others safe. For example, healthcare workers took on the task of communicating with families, and giving extra support to patients, when families could not be present at appointments in hospitals and in long-term care. Truck drivers took on extra shifts to ensure delivery of goods, grocery store staff started wearing masks during their shifts, and agricultural workers and delivery drivers faced increased workloads to ensure food was kept on our tables. These are just some of the examples of the ways you helped keep our society running, despite the risks to your own health and to the health of your family.

Many times, over the past 10 months, I have reflected on the challenges that COVID-19 has brought. And when I think of all of you, how you are making sacrifices to ensure others are able to stay home, my admiration for you is immense. For this, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your adaptability, your perseverance, and your unwavering dedication. Thank you for every late night and early morning shift, every dinner missed at home, time lost with your loved ones, and for all the extra work you have put in. Most of all, thank you for the incredible work that you do. The bravery and courage you have shown is exemplary. Finally, I want to congratulate you all on the Empire Club of Canada's Nation Builder of the Year Award 2020. Your contribution to Canada is immeasurable, and the impact you have made is limitless. You are all the superheroes of the response. Stay safe and healthy. Thank you. Merci.

Video Message from Barbara Amsden, Frigo Virtuel
Hi, I'm Barb Amsden. When I heard the Empire Club was awarding its Nation Builder of the Year to Canada's frontline workers, I thought, great! As to me, the Empire Club was a bit Toronto-centric, it was greater still to hear that they were going to showcase heroes from across the country. Let me introduce you to one: Métis-sur-Mer's Frigo Virtuel, or Virtual Fridge. So, where's Métis? It's 600 kilometres northeast of Montréal on the St. Lawrence River—so far east it's almost in a different time zone, and the bone-chilling water is already salty. Officially bilingual, it boasts 200 years of Scottish and French heritage, and 150 years as a summer resort. From a few thousand people in summer, it shrinks to 600 in winter. It's small, remote, and cold.

Meet Nathalie Broshu, and, in the middle, in blue, Diane Dubois. Métis has a large older population. With COVID spreading and the closest hospital 20 kilometres away, Diane and Nathalie made hundreds of masks. Not for sale, but to give away with a suggested gift of five dollars each in return. The two then gave all proceeds, six thousand dollars—a lot for this small, less well-off community—to the Virtual Fridge. Part one of the plan: masks and money. Part two: where the money would do most good. Stephanie [indiscernible], President of the CLD or local Board of Trade, and a Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary member, started Frigo under the CLD banner for those hit hard by COVID's economic impact. Ted Savage, local firefighter and Coast Guard auxiliary, raised six thousand-plus from locals, the school, generations of summer residents, and summer churches.

Frigo Virtuel meant getting food to those in need. As no one likes to air their private situations in public, only Stephanie took calls from people in Métis and nearby villages. Masks continued to be available as people dropped off food at weekly drives. Food was triaged to see what was missing. Stephanie then used the twelve thousand raised to buy fresh meat, fish, produce, dairy, and more non-perishable goods. Volunteer first responders with a code of confidentiality made all deliveries privately. While most calls were for food, diapers and pet food were provided, too, seniors were taken for doctor's appointments, people banking in person were taught to go online. Stephanie says each case is different. Some people just need to talk.

When I asked if I could nominate Frigo, she said so many people did so many amazing things to help others get through this, I don't know if the Virtual Fridge would stand out. It's this unselfish attitude that is the last reason I nominate and thank Frigo volunteers, who provided a virtual lifeline to their neighbours in need.

Kayla Grey
Now, I hope you are all enjoying these testimonials as much as we enjoyed putting them together for you. I want to show you the historical Awards Certificate that the Empire Club is submitting today to our country's archives at the Library of Parliament. In this way, Canadians in decades and even centuries can come and look back at this moment in time and remember just what their ancestors were going through in 2020, and also recall the fundamental role played by our frontline workers. To do this, let's go to the Speaker of the House, the Honourable Anthony Rota in Ottawa. He's going to explain exactly what will become of these memorable papers.

Video Message from The Honourable Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons
Hello, my name is Anthony Rota, and I'm the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. [Remarks in French]. As Speaker, I preside over the House, making sure the rules are understood and followed by all members. I am also the Chief Administrative Officer of the House, so I am responsible for its operations in support of Members of Parliament. I'm very pleased to have been invited by the Empire Club to be part of this Nation Builder of the Year Award. This year, the award is being presented to Canada's frontline workers in recognition of their vital role in supporting our communities throughout this difficult time. This award certificate is the tangible expression of gratitude of Canadians everywhere, and I am honoured to have been entrusted with its safekeeping. [Remarks in French]

The Library of Parliament is the knowledge centre of Canada's Parliament. It offers parliamentarians in partial research and analysis services, welcomes thousands of in person and virtual visitors to the Parliament buildings, and provides educational programs and research, and resources, to each student about parliamentary democracy. As, importantly, the library houses a precious collection of art, rare books, and artifacts of national significance. Today, this certificate becomes the latest treasure to join the Library of Parliament's collection.

The stewardship of Canadian history is a duty the library shares with the Empire Club, the only club of record, with all historical documents dating back to 1903 in their online archives. I applaud the Empire Club for it's choice in recognizing the extraordinary contribution of frontline workers. All Canadians owe them a debt of gratitude for helping us cope with the daily challenges posed by the pandemic. I offer them my heartfelt thanks and prayers for their safety, as they continue their crucial work. [Remarks in French]. Stay safe, be well, and may we all be able to meet again soon.

Kayla Grey
I mean, feel like I'm just watching history unfold right before my very eyes. Again, thank you to the Speaker of the House, and to all the voices we heard from today. I mean, what an all-star cast we saw. And they came to us from across the entire country, from all walks of life. But especially, thank you, thank you, thank you, to our frontline workers, who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe. I was so happy to be a part of bringing these voices to you, and I hope that they gave you some renewed your energy and courage, as we continue to fight what has been, come to be known as the invisible foe, the greatest challenge of our generation. But I'm still staying hopeful, especially for 2021. Thank you, Antoinette, for inviting me today. I think I should throw things back over to you right now. Because now, I know, you have a rather exciting task to perform.

Antoinette Tummillo
Kayla, I just want to say that we all fell in love with you at our first Nation Builder of the Year Award last year—I think I was at the top of the list, just so you know—you outdid yourself this year, you know, under these circumstances, not easy. I wish we were together on a stage with a big crowd around us. But we have to settle for this. You're truly a wonderful host, and we are grateful for you, to you, for doing this for us. And a special thanks, as well, to CTV Bell Newsnet for all that they have done to help us with our ceremony today. So, Happy holidays, Kayla. Stay safe and well. And I'm going to take a lead from Stefan and Shamir. Here's to a safe and healthy 2021. Cheers!

Kayla Grey
Yes, amen to that! I cannot wait until we are all reunited sometime in the future. And to my brothers and sisters that are celebrating Hanukkah, Happy Hanukkah. Happy Holidays, everyone. Stay safe, and please take care of each other.

Antoinette Tummillo
Thank you. So, as Kayla was saying, earlier today, we conducted a supervised draw from the names of Canadians who submitted testimonials on their favourite frontline worker to the Empire Club. Some of these folks were approached to do video testimonials, which we all just finished enjoying, alongside the testimonials from our VIP lineup. So, one of these everyday Canadians is winning a five-thousand-dollar cheque from the Empire Club of Canada. And we obviously didn't want to make this a contest between frontline workers, as we value all of their work collectively, so this was an entirely random draw. So—drum roll—the winner is: Tim Hill, a pilot from Nunavut.

Tim Hill and his colleagues at Kiwatin Air have been providing critical air ambulance services and delivering supplies to remote and/or underserved communities across the Canadian Arctic. With COVID-19, ensuring that people in these communities' access healthcare quickly, and that their communities are supported, is more critical now than ever. Tim and his colleagues at Kiwatin Air provide a critical link between these communities and the healthcare and supplies they need. Congratulations to Tim Hill! And we hope this award will, in some small way, support Tim Hill in continuing the excellent work of providing medical services to remote communities in Canada's Far North.

So, you've already heard me thank our sponsors, and you can find out more details about them on our website. Without them, this club would not exist, and we certainly could not bring you events like the one today. So many corporations stepped up to the plate and wanted to be a part of this ceremony of gratitude today. And we are so very thankful to them for their generosity. It is my pleasure to now introduce you to Mr. Mike White, the President and CEO of IBK Capital, our Lead Event Sponsor today. Mike will express our collective gratitude to all of our VIP speakers, our frontline workers, and to those who brought the wonderful stories of these frontline workers to our attention.

Note of Appreciation by Mike White, President & CEO, IBK Capital Corp
Madam President, distinguished head table guests, members, and guests of the Empire Club of Canada, I have the pleasure to express our formal thank you to our key speakers, and congratulate the men and women who have kept us safe and functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Empire Club of Canada celebrates the second annual Nation Builder of the Year Award. And to quote from the Empire Club's website, "The Nation Builder of the Year Award formalizes what the Empire Club of Canada has been doing since 1903: celebrating and providing a platform for people who are building our country. That's why the focus of this award, the Nation Builder of the Year Award, is on the efforts by a Canadian individual, or group of individuals who are making a significant contribution to our country. The many women and men who have kept us safe and functioning through COVID-19 have done just that and continue to honour our great country. We are very proud and very thankful of you, the frontline workers, for all the selfless sacrifices you have made and continue to make in an effort to keep every Canadian healthy and safe. We have witnessed your tireless efforts firsthand and through the media. We have seen the benefits of your actions, your hard work, diligence, and persistence done with all of your heart, selflessly and for the benefit of others. You are an inspiration to Canadians and generations to come."

Please join me in a warm and special thank you to all that have made today possible, including the sponsors, the award committee, today's speakers, and of course, the recipients of the Nation Builder of the Year Award 2020, all the women and men who have kept us safe through the pandemic. You are our heroes, our Canadian heroes. Thank you, thank you, thank you. May God's healing presence flow to all parts of Canada. God bless our heroes, God bless those in need, and God bless Canada. Thank you.

Concluding Remarks by Antoinette Tummillo
Thanks, Mike. And a special thank you, again, to all of those who came together to make this event happen today. And of course, we reserve the bulk of our thanks for the winners of our Nation Builder of the Year Award 2020, our heroes of 2020, the frontline workers, who have truly helped to build a better nation these past 10 months. Many have said that they can't wait for this year to end, that it has been long, painful, dark, lonely. In closing, let me say that we, at the Empire Club, see it a bit differently. We saw the strength of our citizens this past year, the generosity of spirit that goes with being Canadian, the compassion and care that makes us the envy of the world, the best country to live in on planet Earth. As we come to the end of this year and prepare to celebrate different holidays in the best way we can manage in these difficult circumstances, we invite you to stop for a moment and remember how truly blessed we are to reside in Canada. It is a gift like none other. Something that others around the world look at with awe and admiration. We're a pretty modest bunch for the most part, but I think we all know in our hearts how lucky we are to live in Canada.

And so, to everyone who has joined us today, no matter how many challenges you are facing, and how difficult life may seem at times, be grateful for 'We the North,' for all of our fellow citizens like the brave men and women we are celebrating today who make us all so grateful to be Canadian. May 2020 stay forever in our minds not as a time to be forgotten, but rather a time when the true goodness of Canada shone through to each and every one of us. May you stay healthy and safe. Thank you for joining us today in the celebration. This meeting of the Empire Club of Canada is now adjourned.