The Citadelle, Friday, May 30, 2008

Jean-Daniel and I are delighted to welcome you here to the Citadelle.

As we open the annual Conference of Lieutenant-Governors and Commissioners, and before we get down to work, it gives us tremendous pleasure to be able to celebrate with you the artistic talent of Canadian and world youth.

But this event tonight has additional significance. For we are celebrating this year the 400^th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec, here at the second official residence of the governor general.

As you know, this beautiful city was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. Through his actions, the very cradle of French civilization in North America was established.

And over the last four centuries, it has become a centre of Francophone political, literary, artistic and economic life not only in Quebec but also throughout Canada. The City of Québec now constitutes a beacon of La Francophonie throughout this continent.

But dear friends, the story does not end there.

Did you know that it was in this very edifice that two very important conferences took place, which contributed to the defeat of Nazi Germany during the Second World War?

Did you know that it was in this very building that British prime minister Winston Churchill, US president Franklin Roosevelt and Canadian prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King formulated their martial plan to defeat the Axis powers?

Just take a moment to look around. We are standing in the midst of history.

I must admit that as my husband and I were preparing to welcome you here at the Citadelle, we wanted to find a way to present to you our vision for the institution that we occupy—but in a festive and jovial spirit.

For myself, I have always believed in the importance of empowering young people; and so youth have become one of the main priorities of my mandate.

My husband, the great filmmaker that he is, has sought to create a space within the institution in which the arts and culture could be celebrated.

Interestingly enough, my travels across the country have revealed how it is through art that young people are expressing themselves. Whether it is dance, hip hop, film, graffiti or music, culture represents a way for them to share their vision of the world and present solutions to the challenges of the day.

So Jean-Daniel and I said to ourselves: what better way for us to celebrate with our guests than to hold a special concert, featuring the two laureates of the Montreal International Music Competition.

After all, the international competition is affiliated with the Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, an organization that celebrates artistic excellence among youth.

As the honorary patron of this wonderful association, it is such a pleasure to be able to feature the finalists of a competition that has involved young artists from all around the world.

For I believe that we should all encourage youth to have pride in their hearts and confidence to achieve their greatest aspirations.

Why?

Because youth not only represent a promise for the future, but they also constitute a living strength for the present.

I also believe that we should take the time to celebrate the vitality of art.

Why?

Because it is through its prism that our own perspectives learn to resist uniformity and immobility, that our eyes are opened to ever more astonishing possibilities.

So, it is a great honour for Jean-Daniel and me to present to you these young laureates: Sergei Saratovsky and Nareh Arghamanyan.

They will perform on a piano that first belonged to the internationally renowned Quebec piano duo of Victor Bouchard and Renée Morisset.

Acquired by the Crown during the mandate of my predecessor, Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Jeanne Sauvé, this piano represents an important part of our national heritage.

So ladies and gentlemen, as you begin your immersion into the French language and culture of Quebec that has inspired so many poets, painters, and musicians, let us sit back and enjoy the show!