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Canada is a nation founded by explorers. As a child, I enjoyed reading stories of our Indigenous Peoples, the Vikings, La Vérendrye, Sir Alexander Mackenzie and others. Their exploits are vital threads of Canada’s national fabric; their personality traits – vision, perseverance, courage – distinguished early Canadians from other world citizens. Their ambition inspired me, as did John F. Kennedy, who declared that we explore space “not because it is easy, but because it is hard.”

Exploration, particularly the exploration of space, became important to me and I began to fashion an educational path that would lead to a career in space, and that would challenge the best of my energies and skills. My eventual career did take me to my physical, intellectual and emotional limits on a regular basis, and it took me to space, where I proudly wore our maple leaf.

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I was privileged to pursue a fulfilling career in space at a time when Canada had a vigorous, successful program that inspired the public. This golden era no longer exists. The spirit of exploration that characterized our young nation, a critical core competence that provided Canada with a competitive edge in the global economy and that distinguished our culture, appears to be waning.