Governor General Arbour’s vision strikes a chord with Canadian Filipinos

by Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan

On June 8, 2026, the Right Honourable Louise Arbour delivered her inaugural address as Canada’s 31st Governor General. For nearly one million Canadian Filipinos, her words stirred a profound sense of belonging. She described a vision of Canadian democracy that celebrates our community’s journey, sacrifices, and vibrant spirit. Her message was clear: immigrant cultures are vital threads woven into the fabric of Canada’s identity.

During the ceremony, Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the new Governor General and spoke about her history of service: “At every stage of her distinguished career, Her Excellency Louise Arbour has defended and promoted justice, dignity, and equality.” Her ongoing commitment to these three values makes her vision especially meaningful for the Canadian Filipino community.

From homogenous to diverse environment

Arbour’s speech was striking in its candour. She talked about moving from a world where everyone was the same to one alive with global viewpoints. She grew up in Montreal, surrounded by people who spoke her language and shared her race and faith. When she started her legal career, she found herself in yet another homogenous setting, this time mostly among men. Through her work in international human rights, she discovered, as she put it, “the richness of the connections to be made with people with whom we thought we had nothing in common.”

Her heartfelt reflection is similar to what many Canadian Filipinos experience. Each day, our kababayan step beyond the warmth of home and weave themselves into the vibrant mosaic of Canadian society. Arbour’s story reminds us that true intellectual and cultural richness comes from wholeheartedly embracing the beauty of our differences.

A trailblazing journey shaped by grit and justice

In The Heart of Virtue, Canadian scholar Donald DeMarco begins his study of justice with a line inspired by Dostoevsky: “What an author writes and what he experiences are mysteriously interwoven.” For Arbour, combining personal experience with law is central to her work. In her address, she said, “I have learned the importance of understanding differing points of view, both through my education and throughout my professional life.” Both Arbour and DeMarco agree that justice truly matters when it is shaped by real-life experience.

Her perspective comes from a humble upbringing, much like the grit of countless immigrant families. Born in Montreal to a low-income, single-parent family, Arbour confronted and conquered adversity from an early age. With determination, she earned her law degree with distinction from l’Université de Montréal in 1970. Her sharp mind helped her rise quickly, from law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada to Justice on the Court of Appeal for Ontario. She then carried her unwavering commitment to justice to the world stage as Chief Prosecutor for the UN International Criminal Tribunals and later as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. After her time as a judge, she took on key United Nations roles: High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Representative for International Migration. Her journey proves that justice is realized and lived through dedicated public action. Louise Arbour is more than a thinker – her life proves that someone from modest beginnings can create a lasting legacy and inspire immigrants everywhere.

A shared legacy of human rights and the UN vision

The connection between Arbour’s work in global human rights and the Filipino diaspora carries a deeply resonant history. In her address, the Governor General quoted former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan: “there can be no security without development, no development without security, and neither without the protection of human rights.” By highlighting the UN as a symbol of peace and humanitarian leadership, she reflected the way our Filipino diaspora has supported important international achievements.

In 2019, I highlighted Canada’s strong role on the world stage with my special commentary in Canadian Filipino Net on the UN Global Compact for Migration (GCM) – also known as Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. As Canadians, we showed our commitment to justice by supporting the groundbreaking GCM, which resulted from two years of hard, principled negotiations led by Louise Arbour for the UN. As Arbour takes office as Governor General, her approach to migration – focused on dignity and fairness – matches the humanitarian values that the Filipino community has long championed.

Rejecting division, embracing civic strength

The Governor General made it clear she is against the growing divisions in the world, warning that “extreme polarization is dangerous, but so is extreme consensus. “At a time when immigrant communities often face harsh political debates, Arbour described diversity as Canada’s greatest strength. She asserted that our differences do not make us weaker. Instead, they help us think critically, be creative, and find new solutions for the future.

Our Canadian Filipino community brings unique cultural values, strong faith, and a strong work ethic to Canada’s healthcare, education, tech, and creative fields. The Governor General’s message is an open invitation. The highest office in the country is telling us that our community’s perspective is both a fundamental right and a valuable resource.

Parable of the cathedral

To explain this, Her Excellency shared the well-known story of the three stonemasons. When asked what they are doing, the first says he is “cutting stones,” the second is “building a wall,” and the third proudly declares, “I’m building a cathedral.” This story means a lot to our community. Many Filipino immigrants come to Canada and take frontline jobs, working long hours in hospitals, care homes, kitchens, and factories. They also quietly handle the high cost of living and send support to their families back home.

The governor general recognized these heavy daily realities and pointed out how easy it is to get lost in the “busyness of our day-to-day lives.” Still, her message elevates that daily labour: every shift pulled, every business started, and every child raised by Filipino parents is a vital block in the magnificent “cathedral” that is the Canada of tomorrow.

Proud pipeline of trailblazers

In Manitoba where I live, this national message takes on an incredibly rich colour. Winnipeg holds a sacred place in the history of the Filipino diaspora in Canada. It was the first major home for Filipino immigrants, starting with the influx of nurses, doctors, and garment workers in the mid-20th century. From the lively neighbourhoods of the North and the West Ends to the halls of the Manitoba Legislature, city council and school boards, our community has spent decades showing Canada how diversity can become civic strength.

Inclusivity

This Manitoba legacy paved the way for national trailblazers who made Arbour’s vision of an inclusive democracy real. Winnipeg sent me to the House of Commons as the first Canadian Filipino member of parliament and federal Cabinet Minister, serving from 1988 to 2004. Decades later, Manitoba’s strong tradition in medicine and public service continues to shine on the red benches of the Parliament of Canada with Senator Dr. Gigi Osler.

This political awakening has resonated nationwide when the late Senator Tobias Enverga of Ontario became the first Canadian of Filipino appointed to the Senate in 2012 — and continuing today through the vital work of Ontario’s Honourable Rechie Valdez, who made history as the first female Filipino Canadian federal Minister following her first election in 2021.

Arbour’s call to protect public spaces for debate, from schools to parliamentary assemblies, is a reality these Canadian Filipino trailblazers have lived and built. They continue to grow in other provinces and other professions. 

A renewed commitment to inclusivity in the CAF

As the new Commander-in-Chief, Arbour highlighted the changing face of the Canadian Armed Forces CAF). She praised the success of recruitment efforts that have brought in people of different “genders, backgrounds, and perspectives.” This modernization deeply resonates with the growing number of young Canadian Filipinos who are joining the military to protect the country they now call home. By connecting national security with trust and respect for human rights, she reminded us that real safety comes from including everyone and treating all people with dignity.

Role of youth as co-architects and co-builders of Canada’s future

The governor general issued a compelling warning regarding the future, speaking directly to young Canadians with a sense of urgency. She noted that although today’s youth are highly educated and possess advanced digital skills, they still “face the headwinds of inequality.” She called it a shared national responsibility to correct course and ensure Canadian youth reach their full potential. For Filipino parents who journeyed here in hopes of a brighter future for their children, this message holds particular significance.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Louise Arbour concluded by reminding us that “the world is watching” Canada, eager to see if an open, multicultural society can genuinely succeed. As Canadian Filipinos, we are not mere spectators. We are active participants, shaping this narrative. Guided by the bayanihan-pakikipagkapuwa spirit of unity, perseverance, and dedication to public service, we are called to meet her excellency’s challenge: to act boldly, aspire greatly, and continue building a Canada where “security, prosperity, and dignity” belong to all.