AC volunteers, students, employees among 16,000 at WE Day
Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2016
A strong AC contingent joined the excitement and inspiration of WE Day on Wednesday, as volunteers and participants, along with 16,000 other students and educators.
The event is part of a movement that gives people the tools to change the world and uses stadium-sized events and star power to spark the change.
Fifty volunteers from AC were at We Day, and there were AC students and employees in the audience. The college, which was a sponsor, got a shout-out from the WE Movement on Twitter, for making “service learning and volunteering part of their education,” adding, “They’re making major impacts!”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. David Johnston were all on the bill along with Hedley, Serena Ryder, Paula Abdul and others.
Trudeau, in his fifth We Day appearance, told those gathered that he was honoured to speak to such a diverse audience of ambitious young Canadians.
“I’m here today to let students know that – no matter one’s age – we all have a responsibility to take a positive role in shaping the future of Canada and the world,” he said. “As we count down to our country’s 150th anniversary, and look forward to the next 150 years, I know we’re in good hands.”
AC Police and Public Safety Institute professor Cat Baron was on hand to hear him., and said she was grateful for the reminder that our young people are the leaders of today, not of tomorrow.
She said that when one is pursuing change, there will always be those who try to derail and discourage those attempts, but that when those attempts come from a good place, they will succeed.
“We have already changed the world,” she said. ”And we will continue to make it a world that is kinder, more equal, freer, and more inclusive than ever before. We will stand together against violence, hate, sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism — all types and forms of oppression — and create a world that we are proud to hand over to our children.”
All of the speakers had the crowd roaring with their words of inspiration, including Jacob Hoggard of the Canadian pop-rock group Hedley, who is the WE Movement’s official Canada150 ambassador. His words about who Canadians are and what they believe pushed the decibel level higher.
“We believe in schools and communities more diverse and inclusive. We believe in strengthening ties between all Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians,” he said. “We volunteer now. We believe in tackling issues like poverty and homelessness in our communities.”
The WE Movement used the Ottawa event to launch a partnership with the government of Canada’s Canada 150 celebration called WE Are Canada that will bring Canadians together with the collective goal of inspiring them to take action and to continue to build a better and stronger Canada over the next 150 years.
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