Quebec City, Thursday, February 9, 2006

My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I are delighted to be here with you on the occasion of my first official visit to Quebec. We would like to express our warm thanks to the Premier, Mr. Jean Charest, and his spouse, Mrs. Michèle Dionne, for hosting this dinner in our honour. It is a tremendous pleasure to find ourselves in such good company and to once again feel a part of the driving pulse that is Quebec, a cultural mecca that we hold so dear. My husband, who has explored many of its facets as a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker, and I, having watched it grow with conviction as a journalist, consider Quebec our home.

But more than that, we feel a deep connection to this place, as I said yesterday, particularly through the language and culture that have made Quebec unique in the Americas and today ensure its standing in Canada, the Francophonie and the world. We are a part of the movement to affirm Quebec’s culture and remain unwavering in our support. We hope that it will be enriched by all that humanity has to offer, by a diversity of opinions in the years to come. We hope that knowledge will form its base and sharing, its guiding principle. We hope that today’s youth will grow with a desire to share experiences, opinions, ideas, passions.

I have made youth one of my priorities and will do what I can to give them a voice—let them be heard—so that they can dream of the future they hope to pave for future generations. I am counting on your help in this task, one that is so vital, and will spend the next few days in Quebec City and Montreal continuing the dialogue I began this fall with so many young Canadians in Manitoba and Prince Edward Island.

I cannot thank you enough for your warm welcome. I promise you that I will return to Quebec often. This will always be my home. May our continued collaboration prove fruitful.