Cape Dorset, Wednesday, April 19, 2006

For me and my husband, this trip is a dream come true. Our daughter, Marie-Éden, would have loved to be here to meet you, but she has school back in Ottawa. We will certainly return one day with her.

We are both delighted to be here with you in a community where artistic expression is so alive. Cape Dorset is not only one of the most well‑known centres for contemporary Inuit art, it is also the place where the stonecut printing technique first emerged and where sculpture has undergone unprecedented growth. What we have seen thus far has been extraordinary, brilliantly illustrating these achievements. Cape Dorset stands as a shining example of courage and vision for all Canadians and deserves our full attention.

Since the creation of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative in 1959, your unique works of art have brought Cape Dorset to the world stage and have enabled it to claim its rightful place.

Your community can be proud that it is one of the few places in the world where the economy is based primarily on art. Today, your artwork is sold in specialized galleries in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, and many other cities around the world. It is also found in some of the world’s largest museums.

What makes artists so special is that they give form to the unreal and help to reshape our view of the world. They allow memory to live on and celebrate beauty. They are our greatest treasure.

I am delighted by this success from which we can all learn. You have created a universal language that conveys the very heartbeat of life itself.

Yours is a wonderful adventure, and I am happy to have been able to share a small part of it with you. Of course, and you would know this better than anyone, it does not diminish some of the challenges you are still facing. I would like this visit to be an opportunity for me to hear about not only your hopes and dreams, but also the challenges before you.

I am deeply concerned by the distress of our country’s youth. In Quebec, it leads too many young people to take their own lives. The rate of suicide among young men in Quebec is one of the highest in the industrialized world. I know that your communities are also faced with this tragedy. Know that you are not alone and that the North and South must engage in dialogue to address this situation.

Another unfortunately universal problem is that of violence against women. Inuit women are no exception. We must raise awareness of this issue, here and elsewhere in the world, if we are to put an end to it.

As governor general, I have made a commitment to break down solitudes. By solitudes, I mean all forms of exclusion born of misunderstanding and prejudice based on age, sex, social status, race, beliefs, or abilities. I want each and every Canadian to have a voice.

I sincerely believe that each and every one of us can be part of the solution to the current problems in the world. I have no doubt that blending traditional knowledge from elders and new ideas from the next generation will bring promises for the future.

Let us commence the dialogue. Let us rekindle the sparks of hope that will guide us to a better world. Thank you for welcoming us so warmly to this community feast. We are honoured and deeply touched by this invitation.