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The Citadelle, Tuesday, May 27, 2008
What a pleasure it is to welcome you to the Residence of the Governor General at the Citadelle, as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec.
You know, it takes time for a house to have a soul. It is as though time itself leaves behind traces of life, impressions, memories—moments that the house comes to hold on to.
You’ve heard the expression, “if these walls could talk”?
Well, this residence is speaking to us, if we know how to listen. It is telling us a story—our story—shaped over time, by illustrious people, pivotal moments, everyday anecdotes. It is speaking to us through the works of our artists and their vision of the world, delving far below the surface.
And no wonder! Just look at the wealth of history and culture that surrounds us, here and at Rideau Hall, due in large part to you and the generous donors to the Canadiana Fund.
From the late-18th-century commode en arbalète to the paintings of Paul Béliveau to the bookcases ordered by Alexandre Chauveau, the second son of Quebec’s first premier, there are so many examples here of the important work that your organization does.
The furnishings, artifacts and works of art that you offer bring a beauty and special character to the places in which they are displayed.
They give us greater insight into our past.
They reach out to us beyond time and inspire us to think about our place in history.
They accompany us in our search for meaning and our understanding of the world.
One of the great joys of living and working here or at Rideau Hall is being surrounded every day by these magnificent works of art and priceless historical artifacts.
Not a day goes by that I don’t stop in front of a painting, a piece of furniture or a sculpture and linger over a detail I had missed.
Not a day goes by that I am not filled with wonder at the magnificence of these places.
It is like waking each morning surrounded by beauty.
And what is so wonderful is that this joy is not mine alone.
It is a joy that I share with the heads of State and their delegations visiting our country.
With the Canadians we honour each year for their altruism, their bravery, their creative genius, their contribution to the development of society.
And with the thousands of visitors who come from every region across Canada and around the world, to whom the Citadelle and Rideau Hall throw wide their doors.
We owe this joy to you, the members of the Canadiana Fund. Because without your tireless efforts, your remarkable passion and generosity, we likely would never have had access to these treasures from our heritage.
Many of them may well have been sold, taken across our borders or lost forever in warehouses or the attics of private homes. What a loss that would have been for our entire country and for generations to come.
Let us remember that and let us thank the women and men who allow us to appreciate the objects and works that speak of who we are, of the history and culture we share, of a future we hope will be full of promise.
On behalf of your fellow citizens, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you, so very much.