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Rideau Hall, Wednesday, March 28, 2012 Art surrounds us. And in this instance, I mean that literally. Rideau Hall is home to so many fantastic Canadian works of art—both heritage pieces and contemporary ones—from many different eras and in various forms. I cannot count the number of times I have see...

Rideau Hall, Friday, March 30, 2012 It is such an honour to welcome foreign heads of mission to Canada. Diplomacy plays a key role in building the smarter, more caring world to which we aspire, and that is what brings us together today. In the last 17 months as governor general, I have made five for...

Beaumont-Hamel, France, Sunday, April 8, 2012 Despite all that we know of the Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel—from the stories of veterans of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, as well as those of eyewitnesses and historians—it is difficult to comprehend the reality of what happened here on the ...

Vimy, France, Monday, April 9, 2012 Today, my solemn duty as Governor General of Canada is to speak to all Canadians and for all Canadians. We stand on hallowed ground—a place of agonized conflict, a site of appalling loss of life, a vessel of sorrow, a crucible of courage, a hallmark of ingenuity, ...

Arras, France, Monday, April 9, 2012 It is a pleasure to join all of you here to discover the history of Wellington Quarry and of Vimy. Reading history and studying it in the classroom is vital to our understanding of the world as it is today. But sometimes, history needs to be seen, heard, touched ...

Thélus, France, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 The road that passes by this memorial is often called the “Canadian gunners’ road,” after the members of the Canadian Corps Artillery who fell during the Vimy operations of April, 1917. It is so important that we remember their service and their sacrifice, bec...

April 15, 2012 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of National Volunteer Week OTTAWA—National Volunteer Week in Canada is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate our volunteers, to honour their efforts and to reflect on what ...

Gatineau, Saturday, April 14, 2012 Sharon and I are so delighted to be here at the Army Ball to celebrate with the men and women of the Canadian Forces. One of the most satisfying aspects of becoming governor general was being accepted into the military family as commander-in-chief. This specific ro...

Ottawa, Monday, April 16, 2012 Thank you, Ruth, for your generous introduction. Much more importantly, thank you for the leadership you and your wonderful team at Volunteer Canada have shown in putting this morning’s gathering together, and for all the work you’ve been doing to help make sure Volunt...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Welcome to Rideau Hall. For nearly 150 years, this has been Canada’s gathering place—a place where Canadians celebrate their achievements; a place where Canadians are honoured for service, ingenuity, bravery and creativity; a place where Canadians meet, share the...

Toronto, Tuesday, April 17, 2012 I am very pleased to join you here today to launch Bond with Toronto, an exciting new initiative by the Toronto Community Foundation. I think that it is very poignant that we also gather during National Volunteer Week, as volunteers are essential to smart and caring ...

Toronto, Wednesday, April 17, 2012 Thank you for inviting me to speak to you here today, particularly during National Volunteer Week. From the outset of my mandate, I have been exploring ways that we as Canadians can work together to build a smarter, more caring nation. I am humbled that many have t...

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 I am delighted to join you for this presentation of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. Since becoming governor general, it has been my privilege to meet hundreds of young recipients of these awards in cities across Canada. Hearing of their achievements and dreams has inspired ...

April 19, 2012 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of Holocaust Memorial Day OTTAWA— Every year, we hear: six million dead. And every year, we answer: never again. Many years ago, survivors from the Holocaust began to tell their...

Rideau Hall, Friday, April 20, 2012 Welcome, all of you brave men and women, to Rideau Hall. Many of us are never given the opportunity to test ourselves, to react under intense pressure, to prove on an instinctual level that we are caring people. But you here—all of you being presented with the Dec...

Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, April 23, 2012 I would like to thank you for welcoming me so warmly to Brazil. My wife, Sharon, the Canadian delegation and I are delighted to be here to celebrate our relationship, but more importantly, to see how we can strengthen it even further. Canada and Brazil share ...

Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 24, 2012 I am delighted to join you from Brazil to extend a “virtual” welcome on the occasion of the Canada 3.0 Conference. Four years ago, I had the privilege of helping to launch the inaugural Canada 3.0 event, and I want to congratulate you for coming together aga...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, April 25, 2012 It is a pleasure to be here in Brazil and to join you at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica to discuss the strong relationship Brazil and Canada share. Let me first take you back to February 2010. Canada was proud to welcome the world to Vancouver ...

Discurso na Pontifícia Universidade Católica—O Canadá no Século 21: Um Parceiro Confiável para o Brasil Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, Quarta-feira, 25 de Abril de 2012 CONFERIR MEDIANTE CONCLUSÃO DO DISCURSO Bom dia. Tudo bem? É um grande prazer estar aqui com vocês. De fato, é um prazer estar aqui no Bra...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, April 26, 2012 It feels wonderful to be among so many colleagues again. I consider you all peers because I spent much of my career—nearly 45 years—as a university professor and administrator. And while I have a new job now, I’ll always remain a teacher at heart. I s...