Birthday Luncheon Message

Good afternoon, everyone.

1. MBM Lea and Jojo asked me to give a speech. They told me to keep it short, which I will do. My birthday gift to everybody.

2. Let me start by saying, on behalf of today’s birthday celebrants, thank you all for being here and for joining us for lunch.

3. Our birthdays happen to fall almost on the same day, although there are a few years between Lea and me, and just one year between Jojo and me.

Although, looking at Jojo, you would think it’s more like 20 years between us. Life isn’t fair. There must be something really good in the air in Canada.

4. This month gives us another reason to celebrate- our anniversaries in the Monetary Board- Lea’s and my third year, and Jojo’s second year. Lea and I are now halfway through our terms. Jojo, on the other hand, is only a quarter of the way through his eight-year term. So he has plenty of thank-you’s still to come.

5. We’d also like to thank Gov and GSM Ben and Walter for their presence and their birthday greetings. Gov and Ben I also thank for making me feel much younger today, because without the two of you, I would have been the oldest man in the room.  Walter is a man i will always look up to.

6. As we come to the end of the program, I think we can all agree that what makes occasions like this special is not really the birthdays. It’s having the opportunity to celebrate with all of you, the people who make long meetings and difficult decisions a little easier, and a lot more enjoyable.

7. So, here’s to another year for the three of us, to good health, good company, and many more reasons to celebrate together.

8. Happy birthday Lea, Jojo, and me, and thank you everyone!