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Ottawa, Monday, June 20, 2011 I feel very comfortable here at the Canadian Museum of Nature, where my friend Meg has just been appointed director. In fact, my first public engagement as governor general was here. I was just about to go on when the fire alarm went off. As a university professor, I’m ...

Ottawa, Tuesday June 21, 2011 What a pleasure it is for me to celebrate National Aboriginal Day with you. And what an honour to join with you to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the National Aboriginal Monument, and to reflect upon the sacrifices that thousands of Aboriginal men and women made fo...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, June 21, 2011 It is my pleasure to participate in the announcement of the highlights of the first Royal Tour overseas by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Sharon and I were delighted to represent Canadians at the Royal Wedding back in April. We had the h...

Rideau Hall, Wednesday, June 22, 2011 It is a great honour to conduct this annual inspection of the Ceremonial Guard, which marks the beginning of your summer duties in our nation’s capital. As you know, this is our first such occasion since my installation as governor general and commander-in-chief...

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Thursday June 23, 2011 Thank you for that kind introduction. My wife, Sharon, and I are very pleased to with you today. Public service is very important to me. And I am sure you would agree when I say that it starts at home. As we look for causes right in our o...

Rideau Hall, Thursday, June 30, 2011 It is a great pleasure for my wife, Sharon, and me to welcome Your Royal Highnesses to Rideau Hall and to Canada. We are delighted to see you again, and to have the opportunity to revisit our memories of your magnificent wedding last spring. It was a privilege to...

Ottawa, Friday, July 1, 2011 Allow me to wish a very happy Canada Day to everyone here, as well as to all those across the country who are celebrating in their own unique ways. My wife, Sharon, and I are so proud to be here with you today and are honoured to be in the presence of Their Royal Highnes...

Ottawa, Saturday, July 2, 2011 Thank you so much for welcoming me today, and for the wonderful musical performance. It is a pleasure to join you today for this presentation of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Awards in our nation’s capital. Our timing could not be better, given the recent arrival of The...

Ottawa, Friday, July 1, 2011 In the name of Her Majesty the Queen, I welcome you to your citizenship ceremony. In just a few minutes, you will be sworn in as Canadian citizens. You will swear or affirm your oath to The Queen, which means you are swearing allegiance to Canada in her name. We are so f...

Maxville, Saturday, July 30, 2011 This is my first visit to the Games, but I’ve known about Glengarry for a long time. As a boy, I devoured Ralph Connor’s books, such as Glengarry Schooldays, The Man From Glengarry and The Arm of Gold. What a delight for Sharon and me to come to the place from whenc...

Halifax, Sunday, August 14, 2011 Good afternoon. Thank you for inviting me here to address you. I am a lawyer by profession, although my involvement has come mostly in teaching law at a number of Canadian universities and through public service in the context of the law. Put simply, I love the law. ...

Iqaluit, Monday, August 15 2011 Let me begin by thanking you all for warmly welcoming my wife, Sharon, and me to your community. This is our first trip to Iqaluit and to Nunavut, and we have been very much looking forward to this visit. Commissioner Elias, I thank you once again for greeting us earl...

Sackville, Thursday, September 1, 2011 Let me begin by expressing my deepest thanks for conferring upon me this honorary doctorate of laws. It is a great honour to be recognized by this wonderful university, and to be welcomed into your family in this way. And speaking of family, two of my five daug...

Ottawa, Wednesday, September 7, 2011 I would like to welcome all of you to Carleton University. It is so satisfying to see a room full of young minds, ready to take the plunge into a new and exciting world. In 1979, I was named vice-chancellor and principal of McGill University; I should say I was a...

Rideau Hall, Friday, September 9, 2011 It is a pleasure for my wife, Sharon, and me to welcome you here today. When we were asked to consider hosting the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign at Rideau Hall, we leapt at the chance, because this campaign exemplifies so much of what we as...

Regina, Sunday, September 11, 2011 Sharon and I are humbled to be here, on our first official visit to Saskatchewan, to honour the bravery and dedication of those members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who, for more than a century, have sacrificed their lives in defence of the people of this c...

Gravelbourg, Sunday, September 11, 2011 My wife Sharon and I are delighted to be here today at the outset of our official visit to Saskatchewan. Thank you for your warm welcome. I have been looking forward to this visit to Gravelbourg, and to learning more about your deep roots in this province. The...

Regina, Saskatchewan, Sunday, September 11, 2011 Good evening. Sharon and I would like to thank you for the very warm welcome to Saskatchewan. We are delighted to be here on our first official visit to the province. Already, we are enamoured with the people and the land. I recall a photo that was sh...

Regina, Monday, September 12, 2011 Sharon and I are pleased to be here. For us to be able to honour Canadians who sacrificed everything to defend the ideals we hold dear is so important. We are also delighted at the opportunity to meet with veterans, men and women who have served overseas and apprec...

Regina, Monday, September 12, 2011 Let me begin by saying how delighted I am to be here this evening for this celebration of excellence in public service. I have always had a profound respect for the public servants of this country, and this gives me a wonderful opportunity to convey my admiration t...