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Yellowknife, NWT, Thursday, December 8, 2011 It is my honour to be here on my first official visit to the Northwest Territories to present the Massey Medal to Mr. David Livingstone. Let me share with you a story I read in Champlain’s Dream, by David Fischer. In France, at the beginning of the 1600s,...

December 10, 2011 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of Human Rights Day OTTAWA— I am delighted to join with all Canadians as we mark Human Rights Day, whose inspiring theme this year is “Celebrate Human Rights.” Since the ado...

Rideau Hall, Monday, December 12, 2011 Good morning and welcome to Rideau Hall. It is a pleasure to be here to celebrate the men and women of all ages who bring Canadian history alive. At last year’s presentation, I said: “As a law professor, I would always ask my students to consider the historical...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, December 13, 2011 It is a pleasure to welcome you to this presentation of the Military Valour and Meritorious Service decorations. As governor general and commander-in-chief of Canada, I am delighted to recognize such deserving recipients, and to welcome your families, friends ...

Montréal, Wednesday, December 14, 2011 It is a pleasure to join you this afternoon to illuminate this wonderful clock tower in the historic Old Port of Montréal. In his great symphonic tribute to the St. Lawrence, pianist and composer André Gagnon evoked the many moods of this river that is so impor...

December 28, 2011 Governor General’s New Year’s Message OTTAWA— In the little over a year since I was installed as Governor General, Sharon and I have had the opportunity to travel to almost every corner of our country—and to meet with Canadians from nearly every walk of life. It has been a remarkab...

Yellowknife, NWT, Thursday, December 8, 2011 For thousands of years, the hunters of the Mackenzie Mountain ice patches lived a distinct way of life, and this exhibit and the work being done at this centre are so important to helping us understand the culture and environment of your ancestors. The wa...

Visit to Fogo Island and the Shorefast Foundation Fogo Island, Saturday June 25, 2011 Thank you for that kind introduction. My wife, Sharon, and I are delighted to be with you today. From the moment we arrived, we have been struck by the beauty of this part of Canada. We are excited about seeing mor...

Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saturday, June 25, 2011 I want to thank you for warmly welcoming my wife, Sharon, and me to your community today. We arrived this morning aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship George W. Pearkes, and it was a great thrill to see the shores of Fogo Island approac...

January 11, 2011 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of the One-Year Anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake OTTAWA – For Haitians, and for the entire international community, January 12 marks an extraordinarily sad anniversary. Wh...

Ottawa, Monday, January 17, 2011 Good evening and thank you for inviting me to your general meeting. I am delighted to be able to speak to you about the pillars of my mandate as governor general, focusing on encouraging volunteerism and philanthropy, but also touching on supporting families and chil...

Rideau Hall, Friday, January 21, 2011 It is a pleasure to welcome you to Rideau Hall for the 26th presentation of the Pearson Peace Medal, created by the United Nations Association in Canada. My predecessor, Edward Schreyer, first presented this prestigious medal to a deserving Canadian more than th...

Rideau Hall, Monday, January 31, 2011 Good afternoon. I am delighted to welcome you to Rideau Hall for the presentation of the 2010 Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. Rideau Hall is such an appropriate setting for this medal, since for more than 170 years, architects have been leaving their ...

Rideau Hall, Thursday, February 3, 2011 Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Rideau Hall, as we begin the countdown to Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This Sunday, we will celebrate the 59th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne and enter the 60th year of her reign. As Her ...

Québec, Friday, February 4, 2011 Good afternoon and thank you for giving me such a warm welcome. I am honoured to be here among you, the men and women of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group. You do your duty, day after day, because you believe in the idea of service and you beli...

La Pocatière, Quebec, Monday, February 7, 2011 Thank you for warmly welcoming my wife, Sharon, and I to your community, and to this remarkable educational institute. We have been looking forward to visiting this region and to speaking with you today. Some of you may be wondering why I have come to L...

The Citadelle, Tuesday February 8, 2011 Welcome to the Citadelle. Over 400 years ago, Samuel de Champlain founded this beautiful city of Quebec, establishing himself as one of Canada’s most renowned historical figures, and earning himself the title “father of New France.” The Pulitzer Prize winning ...

The Citadelle, Tuesday February 8, 2011 My wife, Sharon, and I would like to welcome you to the Citadelle. Steeped in history, this place, overlooking the Saint Lawrence River and sitting high atop Cape Diamant, has been the second official residence of Canada’s governors general since the end of th...

Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the 59th anniversary of Her Majesty's accesssion to the Throne On this February 6, Her Majesty The Queen celebrates the 59th anniversary of her accession to the Throne and enters the 60th year of her reig...

Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the occasion of Black History Month February 1, 2011OTTAWA - Each February, we celebrate Black History Month to enrich our understanding of the experiences, contributions and culture of Canadians of Afric...