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Rideau Hall, Friday, October 13, 2006 It is an honour to stand in the presence of heroes. I do not use the term “heroes” lightly. No one who reads the account of your deeds can help but be deeply moved. You have done things that set you apart from your fellow citizens. You did not hesitate to plunge...

October 15, 2006 "My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I were deeply saddened to hear of the ambush that took place in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar Province, which claimed the lives of Sergeant Darcy Scott Tedford and Private Blake Neil Williamson, and injured two members of the Canadian Forces. T...

October 16, 2006 “What Makes Us Great Citizens of This Country” “Over the past year, I have had the immense privilege of visiting most provinces and territories of Canada, this vast country that is ours. You have welcomed me, along with my husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and our daughter Marie-Éden, with...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Given the strong bond between the Office of the Governor General and IODE, it is a distinct pleasure to welcome you to Rideau Hall on this auspicious occasion. One hundred years of service to your fellow citizens is certainly something to celebrate. And I think...

Rideau Hall, Wednesday, October 18, 2006 You know, this award is particularly important to me and to all women determined to build a more equal, more just society. Not just because it gives us the opportunity to celebrate the work of extraordinary women. But perhaps more importantly because it serve...

Rideau Hall, Monday, October 16, 2006 There is a human need for role models. And, often, the most inspiring role models are living within our communities. Role models come in various forms; it can be a friend who successfully balances a busy career or pursues an education with a fulfilling life as a...

Montreal, Sunday, October 22, 2006 Let’s cut right to the chase. With words that made my blood run cold. “We’re not going to beat you or even threaten you. We’re going to kill you by raping you.” Those words haunt the painful memory of Athanasie Mukarwego. They are the words spoken by the men who ra...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, October 24, 2006 Your Majesties, it is a great honour and a pleasure to welcome you to Rideau Hall, and to join in welcoming you to Canada. In a sense, I really should say “welcome back!”, given that this is a return visit for you. Indeed, I see this State Visit, and the fact t...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, October 24, 2006 Allow me to begin by sharing with our guests that very special connection that you have to Rideau Hall, or at least to one of its former occupants, which you reminded us of this morning. Many of you here this evening may be surprised to learn that this was once...

Rideau Hall, Wednesday, October 25, 2006 We need only take one look at the world map to realize that we cannot take our freedom for granted. Though we are privileged to live in a country where freedom is a deeply held belief, with that privilege comes a responsibility. The responsibility to help wom...

Gatineau, Wednesday, October 25, 2006 I am very pleased to join you on such a special occasion. I think it is wonderful that the Saidye Bronfman Award is going to become part of the Governor General’s Awards for Visual and Media Arts. The change makes perfect sense. Since it was first presented in 1...

Toronto, Thursday, October 26, 2006 I am so pleased to join you this morning at the Ontario Children and Youth Summit. As you are probably aware, when I was nominated 27th governor general of Canada, I decided to make youth one of my main priorities. I embarked on an exciting journey, crisscrossing ...

Toronto, Thursday, October 26, 2006 Looking through the list of recordings that have been recognized by the MasterWorks program over the years, it is difficult not to see symbolic milestones in one’s own life. Films like Mon oncle Antoine, or Les bons débarras; the music of Starmania, Gilles Vigneau...

2006 MasterWorks Gala Toronto, Thursday, October 26, 2006 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY “The Future of the Past is found in Memory” So wrote French writer Paul Valéry, indeed a fitting summary of what is at stake for culture in the 21st century, which depends so much on audiovisual memory. Without question...

Calgary International Film Festival Calgary, Sunday, October 1, 2006 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY The camera is like a razor blade. It slices into what’s real, taking samples to piece together what could be called the language of reality. The camera produces an illusion of what’s real. It depicts what may...

Edmonton International Literary Festival Edmonton, Saturday, October 14, 2006 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY THERE IS NO SINGLE TRUTH One day in 1997, Fred Reed returned from Iran full of enthusiasm with a challenge to my pessimism about that country. A new wind of hope had sprung up, he told me, with a ton...

Rideau Hall, Friday, October 27, 2006 With the approach of Remembrance Day, I have found myself reflecting on the meaning of duty, and courage, and sacrifice. An illustration of these noble ideas can be found in the work of combat engineers during the D-Day landings in Normandy. As you know, the dut...

Presentation of the Governor General’sPerforming Arts Awards Rideau Hall, Friday, November 3, 2006 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Since the beginning of this mandate, my wife and I have wanted to create a forum for cultural dialogue, which we felt was a vital part of the presentation of the awards for perfo...

Rideau Hall, Friday, November 3, 2006 I have always believed that the arts and artists themselves should be given a vital place within any community. Vital, because the arts provide a unique outlet for the hopes, fears and desires of so many. Vital, because the arts are the realization of years of s...

Ottawa, Saturday, November 4, 2006 What is the purpose of this gala? Why have we gathered here this evening? Why should we celebrate artists? Why? Because the arts have a vital role to play. Because years of study and hard work deserve to be recognized. Because the arts and artists enrich our lives,...