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Rideau Hall, Thursday, August 8, 2013 It is a pleasure for my wife, Sharon, and I to welcome all of you to Rideau Hall, home of the people of Canada, for the unveiling of specially crafted coins in honour of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. Every baby’s birth is a joyous e...

August 15, 2013 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of National Acadian Day OTTAWA— I am delighted to extend greetings to everyone celebrating National Acadian Day. On August 15, the tricoloured flag takes centre stage for Acad...

Sherbrooke, Quebec, Saturday, August 17, 2013 It is wonderful to be here in Sherbrooke for the closing of the 2013 Canada Summer Games. And what fantastic games they have been! I had the opportunity today to see some of the athletes in action, and I was impressed by what I saw. The skill and talent ...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Welcome to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada. As governor general of this great country, I have the honour of officially welcoming heads of mission and foreign representatives to Canada. It is a privilege to carry out this task. Diplomacy is so impor...

Ottawa, Friday, September 6, 2013 I am delighted to be here with all of you. You are passionate about your community and you are passionate about giving. Most of all, you are passionate about how wonderful a country this is and how we all have a part to play in it. The Kiwanis Club of Ottawa likes t...

Rideau Hall, Monday, September 9, 2013 Welcome, everybody, to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada. This is the third year in a row that we have launched this important campaign here at Rideau Hall, and my wife, Sharon, and I are once again delighted to play host. The Government of Canada W...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, September 10, 2013 It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada. I would like to begin today’s ceremony on a solemn note, however. I have just learned of a helicopter crash in Canada’s north involving a helicopter flying from the...

Rideau Hall, Thursday, September 12, 2013 It is a pleasure to welcome all of you to Rideau Hall, home of the people of Canada, for this presentation of Meritorious Service Decorations. I am proud to call myself commander-in-chief, but I find it an even greater honour when I am so named by a member o...

Calgary, Alberta, Monday, September 16, 2013 Thank you for your warm welcome—Sharon and I are delighted to be here. Now before I get started on the content of this wonderful honours exhibit, I would like to say a few words about those who made it possible. Their names are Don and Ruth Taylor. The Ta...

Calgary, Monday, September 16, 2013 I am delighted to be back in Calgary, and to be here this evening among so many of this city’s great friends and supporters. It was a pleasure to hear, once again, Oh Canada in Blackfoot. We were at the Siksika Nation this afternoon. Even at the best of times, you...

Calgary, Alberta, Tuesday, September 17, 2013 Calgary is an inspiration to us all. During a time of great need, you came together, helping one another, remaining steadfast and strong. When flood waters hit Calgary, as well as other communities in Alberta, businesses opened their doors, shared their ...

St. Jacobs, Ontario, Monday, September 23, 2013 It is a pleasure to join you here to speak about a passion of mine: giving. As you may know, I have made volunteerism and philanthropy one of the pillars of my mandate, and I hope to speak to many different sectors of Canadian society in the coming mon...

Waterloo, Monday, September 23, 2013 Thank you for your warm welcome. I am delighted to join you on this, the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Waterloo. Let me also say how sorry my wife, Sharon, and I were to hear about the devastating fire that struck the St. Jacob’s farmer’s market earlier ...

Ottawa, Saturday, September 28, 2013 Good morning! Sharon and I are delighted to join you here today. Thank you to everyone for coming out to support this important event. And thank you to the Adoption Council of Canada—of which I am proud to be patron—and the Children’s Bridge Foundation for organi...

Kelowna, British Columbia, Sunday, September 29, 2013 Thank you for your warm welcome. It is an honour to be the first governor general of Canada to address the annual general meeting of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. This organization plays such an important role in the vitality of our business ...

Penticton, British Columbia, Monday, September 30, 2013 It is a pleasure to join you here for the launch of the Teen Esteem Project and to celebrate the release of your report. Let me begin by thanking all those involved. Both the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan/Similkameen and the United...

The Citadelle, Quebec, Thursday, October 3, 2013 Welcome, all of you, to the Citadelle for this presentation of credentials. And allow me as well to welcome you to Canada! You have all been chosen by your respective nations to represent the ideals of your homeland in this country. In addition, you h...

The Citadelle, Thursday, October 3, 2013 It is a pleasure to welcome all of you here for this presentation of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Since becoming governor general three years ago, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of young recipients of this award in cities across Canada. Hearin...

The Citadelle, Friday, October 4, 2013 I am pleased to welcome you to the Citadelle, one of Canada’s most historic sites, for this special ceremony. The Order of Merit of the Police Forces is among our country’s most prestigious honours, and with good reason. As my predecessor, the Right Honourable ...

The Citadelle, Friday, October 4, 2013 Sharon and I would like to welcome all of you to the Citadelle for this presentation of honours. Today, we recognize service, leadership, bravery and caring, all in the context of making Canada a better and stronger place to live. All of you—recipients of Brave...