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The Citadelle, Wednesday, July 2, 2008
It is wonderful to see all of you here this evening. My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I are delighted to welcome you to the Citadelle, the governor general’s official residence in the City of Québec.
This residence holds a very special place in our hearts; we love working here and opening its doors to the public, especially because it is located in the centre of a city in which many pages of our collective history were written.
Pages that speak of the spirit of adventure that once drove Samuel de Champlain as he crossed the ocean in search of new horizons.
Pages that speak of the unexpected encounters that marked a turning point and forever changed the lives of the First Nations peoples, who saw the European settlers arrive on these shores, who welcomed them and revealed to them the very essence of this land, who shared with them their knowledge and their cultures. But who, little by little, came to understand that nothing would ever be the same, that their world had been turned upside down.
Let us revisit those pages of history. Sometimes, you need to read between the lines and dig a little deeper. What about the rich cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity of the first peoples who inhabited these lands? We would like to know more about how the French, Irish, English and Amerindians first came to blend their cultures.
Samuel de Champlain himself arrived on these shores accompanied by Mathieu da Costa, a multilingual free Black who acted as an interpreter for him among the Aboriginal peoples.
Within those pages that weave the tale of Francophones in the Americas, we see how they made their way throughout Canada, setting up communities that remain as vibrant as ever. It is a story of determination, stubbornness, courage and daring.
Four hundred years later, Canada contains the world! And it is that story that unites us today.
It is in this spirit and in the spirit of encounters and the mingling of cultures, of sharing and friendship, that tonight, we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec.
And so we invited 400 special guests—though I think we outnumber that—so that they might inject a little youth into the festivities and the Citadelle.
Joining us this evening are young Francophones and Francophiles from across Canada, for they are the future of the French language and culture. And on their shoulders rest the present and the future and the harmony of our cross-cultural dialogue.
I chose as a priority to give youth a voice, precisely because I believe in your audacity, in the power of your imagination, and in your capacity to act, to create and to build bridges.
In nearly three years, I have had the opportunity meet with so many young people and to see them in action in their communities; to see how they are using art and culture as tools to tackle issues in their neighbourhoods, communities and even abroad; to see the incredible impact their actions and initiatives are having. Youth are part of the solution, not just for the future but right now.
Where are the young people?
The youths from New Brunswick?
From St. Boniface, Manitoba?
From Vancouver, British Columbia?
From Alberta?
From the Yukon?
Representatives from the summer camp of the Institut du Nouveau Monde, the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne française, as well as participants in the Katimavik, SEVEC and Canada World Youth exchange programs are also here.
Each of you is committed to sustaining, promoting, and discovering the French culture and language in our country.
One month ago, I launched the Order of Canada Mentorship Program, bringing together youth and members of the Order, men and women renowned for their commitment and achievements in a wide range of fields. Some of them are here with us this evening, along with the 13 finalists of the Canada Day poster contest and their families. This year’s winner is Rémi Petitpas of New Brunswick.
To all of the young people who are deeply committed to their communities and with whom I have had the pleasure of working and speaking, I wish you a very warm welcome.
Particularly, the members of La TOHU, a socio-cultural and environmental organization promoting the work of youth through arts and culture;
RéGénération 2008, the organizers of the 4th World Youth Congress, to which I have extended my patronage;
The young people from the Maison Dauphine and Centre Jacques Cartier, supporting youth from working-class neighbourhoods in the City of Québec;
The PIPQ, working to prevent youth prostitution;
TakingITGlobal, serving as an online community space for over 200 000 young people around the world;
The CIJEF, bringing together national youth boards from every member state of the International Organization of La Francophonie;
The young people from Apathy is Boring, encouraging social commitment among Canada’s youth;
The Conseil permanent de la jeunesse, representing the voice of Quebec youth in dealing with decision-making bodies;
Engineers Without Borders, dedicated to international development;
La Boussole, a Francophone association helping street youth in Vancouver;
Toronto’s Remix Project and Montréal’s Maison des jeunes de la Côte-des-Neiges, using hip hop to help young people move to full participation in the economic and social life of these two urban centres;
And so many other youth-based associations determined to voice their concerns and share their solutions to today’s challenges.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but you, our youth, remind us loud and clear that Apathy is Boring, isn’t it?
And so tonight is your opportunity to meet each other, to network and perhaps even forge new partnerships and friendships.
I also hope to see you all on August 13 at the World Youth Congress, when I will join hundreds of young people from around the world—as well as Ariane Moffat, Samian, Sol Guy, Jully Black and K’naan—to begin a youth dialogue that I anticipate will be full of promise, to mark the 400th anniversary.
All of the information you need about the Congress will be available on the governor general’s Web site, Citizen Voices.
I look forward to seeing you in August.
Needless to say, it would be inconceivable to celebrate 400 years of French presence in North America without sampling the rich and diverse culture of La Francophonie in Canada, for culture constitutes the living soul of our communities and an instrument for social change.
This is why I decided to treat you to a cultural feast tonight.
In each room, you will discover and enjoy different facets of La Francophonie in Canada: Samian and Shawit from Wapikoni mobile, Andrea Lindsay, Jaden Cormier, Cirque du monde, Caroline Desbiens, Sylvie Desgrosseillers, the percussion ensemble Yeba, and the jazz duo Tip Top.
Since the time of celebration is upon us, I also encourage you to join in singing and even dancing with the performers, if you feel so inclined.
Without further ado, let’s get this party started!
I would like to invite Jaden Cormier, a young accordionist whom I met in Grand’Terre, Newfoundland and Labrador, to come up here.
Jaden was just six and a half years old when he played at a community celebration with his grandfather.
Francophones in Newfoundland represent barely 2% of the population. The fact that children can learn in French is because their parents fought for years to make that a reality at a time when it was thought that they had been completely assimilated. The first French fishermen arrived on the shores of Newfoundland some 500 years ago.
Jaden will share with us part of that wonderful heritage with his rendition of “Rose of the Isle.”