January 21, 2024
(Check against delivery)
Distinguished guests, dear friends, colleagues, Speaker Arnott, and members of Lincoln Alexander’s family who are here today:
I am so grateful.
So touched.
So humbled to be with you on this historic day.
Lincoln Alexander was a man of firsts: first Black Member of Parliament; first Black Cabinet minister; and, of course, first Black lieutenant governor of Ontario.
Indeed, he was the first Black person in a viceregal position in Canada.
And today, we have yet another first: the first sculpture of a Black person to be installed at Queen’s Park.
Let me take a moment now to thank the many people—some of whom are here today—who worked so hard for many years to make this happen.
The leadership of Rosemary Sadlier and the entire LINC Bust Committee has been pivotal.
Let me also thank Speaker Arnott and his team, including Deputy Speaker Patrice Barnes.
And let me thank the generous sponsors and donors who made all this possible, on this very special Lincoln Alexander Day.
While I have had the great privilege to meet many Black Canadian leaders, including politicians and community activists, I never had the chance to meet Lincoln Alexander—or Linc, as he liked to be called.
Indeed, he is the only former or current federal Black politician whom I’ve never met in person.
But, like all of you here today and countless Canadians of all backgrounds, I have benefitted from the legacy of this trailblazer, this man of firsts.
He devoted his life to Canada
in words,
in deeds and, of course,
by example.
In the last speech he made as lieutenant governor, Linc referred to himself as a “dignified populist,” quickly adding the qualifier, “whatever that may mean.”
All of us here know what that means.
It means working hard to bring down barriers and challenging the status quo so that everyone can seize opportunities and reach their potential.
Linc did that throughout the twelve years he served as Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, when he put the interests of his constituents front and centre.
Being a dignified populist means making connections with colleagues and communities, and especially with children and young people.
Linc made that a priority during his tenure as lieutenant governor when he visited 672 cities, towns and villages outside Toronto, held 675 receptions for some 76,000 guests, and accepted over 4,000 engagements across the province, including visits to some 230 schools.
Being a dignified populist also means acting with integrity and courage to defend what is right.
Linc did that as a parliamentarian in 1970 when he broke party ranks and supported government legislation to amend the Criminal Code and address hate propaganda.
And he did it again as a vocal opponent of capital punishment.
Folks, to be the first is tough.
It is not a private journey.
And it is not a journey you take by yourself.
To be first is to bear a heavier load; it means carrying the expectations and the hopes and dreams of those who come after.
It also means the standards Linc was held to were higher than expected of others.
There is more at stake.
More to lose.
Because it is not enough to be the first.
You must ensure that you are the first of many.
But as I look around this room full of accomplished people, I know you already know that.
And Linc knew that.
He bore the responsibility of being first with strength and grace.
On Parliament Hill, visitors and school groups see the bust of Agnes MacPhail, the first woman Member of Parliament, just outside the Chamber of the House of Commons.
They see the bust of James Gladstone, the first Indigenous Senator, prominently displayed outside the Senate Chamber.
That is why I am so happy to know that Linc’s bust will be displayed here, in Queen’s Park, where visitors will see him and learn about his story, especially young people and school kids.
The people he cared about most.
Art matters.
It has a lasting impact.
So let me take a moment to congratulate Artist, artivist, and Afrofuturist, Quentin VerCetty, for undertaking this exciting and historically significant work that will inform, enlighten and inspire, day in and day out.
After today, when we go back to our everyday lives, let us commit to working together to follow the path Linc first walked toward a more inclusive, more diverse Ontario and Canada.
Before I conclude, let me share a passage from Linc’s first speech in the House of Commons, which rings true.
He quoted a slave preacher who said, “We ain’t what we oughta be, we ain’t what we could be, we ain’t what we should be, but thank God we ain’t what we was.”
Thank God for Lincoln Alexander. Because of him, we are all better than we were.
Merci! Thank you!
