OTTAWA - There is every reason for Canadians to hope for a bright new year, but they should also be aware of the considerable challenges they face in 2009, says Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean.
Canada is not immune to the global recession, she says in her year-end message, and its inhabitants must be aware of what lies ahead.
"Let us be realistic," she says in the pre-recorded message.
"The challenges are considerable and have caused a great deal of anxiety."
As part of her message, Jean also made a brief mention of the unprecedented political crisis that the country faced in late 2008 that saw the minority federal Conservative government reach the brink of collapse.
The Tories had faced a confidence vote they were sure to lose after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered an economic update in November that included a number of measures that soured the political atmosphere in Ottawa, but did not include stimulus for the economy that critics had demanded.
At the centre of the outrage over the statement was a plan to cut off taxpayer funding to political parties that could have bankrupted the Opposition.
The governor general herself prevented the government's collapse by accepting a recommendation from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to prorogue Parliament until late January.
Jean also lamented the escalating number of deaths of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, which surpassed the 100 mark in early December.
Those deaths, along with the looming recession and political upheaval, have shown how important it is for everyone to work together to make the country and the world a better place, she said.
"What these recent events bring to light is how important it is for us to work together -- nations, governments, societies, businesses, organizations, individuals, side-by-side," she said.
"The fend-for-yourself mentality has no place in an interdependent world, where the decisions of some have a profound impact on the lives of others."
