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December 18, 2005 "It was with great sadness that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I learned that Sol, the beloved magician of words, has passed away. Marc Favreau, like no one else, made a joyous and singular contribution to the genius of the French language. Over the years he captured our heart...

December 20, 2005 The coming of a new year is a time to take stock and look to the future with hope. We make resolutions, develop projects, follow new dreams. Above all else, we hope to live life to the fullest and spread joy to those around us. For Marie-Éden, Jean-Daniel and me, 2005 has been a ye...

December 20, 2005 “The death of Mark Bourque, yesterday in Port-au-Prince, was a dreadful shock to my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and me, particularly since we had met Mr. Bourque at Rideau Hall just last October. He was here with twenty or so of his colleagues from the Royal Canadian Mounted Polic...

January 5, 2006 “Irving Layton was able to touch the depths of people’s souls through his works. His skills with the pen earned him the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Order of Canada, as well as many other forms of literary recognition around the world. Yet his most precious legacy lies i...

Recorded at Rideau Hall, Monday, December 19, 2005 Dear Friends, I am pleased to offer you greetings as we look back on some of the events that shaped 2005 and called on us all to stand together. This past year will be remembered for its harshness. You may recall that it began on a tragic note with ...

January 15, 2006 “My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death today of Glyn Berry in a terrorist attack in Afghanistan, which also left three of our Canadian soldiers wounded. Mr. Berry, a Political Director from Foreign Affairs, had been posted to the Provincial R...

January 26, 2006 “My husband and I wish happy Chinese New Year celebrations to all those Canadians who are welcoming the Year of the Dog. A brand new year brings with it new hopes, new ambitions and new opportunities. Canadians everywhere will gather together to celebrate their heritage and keep ali...

January 31, 2006 “It is with pride that I extend my warmest greetings to all Canadians celebrating respect, equal opportunity, and sharing throughout Black History Month. Each year, the many activities that highlight these celebrations provide us with opportunities to learn more about our fellow cit...

February 1, 2006 “It is with much sadness that Jean-Daniel Lafond and I have learned that a great voice for equality, human rights and freedoms has fallen silent. Coretta Scott King, widow of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, was a woman of remarkable resolve. Guided by her convictions, she always fo...

La Citadelle, Wednesday, February 8, 2006 It is with great emotion and pride that I find myself before you today on my first official visit to Quebec as governor general of Canada. I would like to begin by saying to you, the members of the Royal 22e Régiment, just how honoured I am to be here with y...

Montréal, Friday, February 10, 2006 I would first like to say how moved I am to be here with you in the Saint‑Michel district, where I lived as a teenager. Not for very long, it’s true, but long enough that its memories and impressions have stayed with me. I often joke that I could easily be a taxi ...

Montréal, Sunday, February 12, 2006 What emotion and what pride I feel to stand before you today as Governor General of Canada for this celebration of Black History Month. For us, the Black people of this city, this country, this continent and the entire world, the legacy of slavery still holds a ha...

Montréal, Monday, February 13, 2006 No award can repay what you do. Lighting a spark of joy in the eyes of a sick child; giving wings to a young person with a disability; comforting a teen in crisis; distributing food baskets; lending a hand to the immigrant family who has just moved into the apartm...

Montréal, Wednesday, February 15, 2006 Thank you for welcoming me here today. It might not be a place where you would expect to see the governor general of Canada. But as I said in my installation speech, I think it is very important to give young people all of the tools and every opportunity to rea...

Rideau Hall, Friday, February 17, 2006 I would like to begin by drawing your attention to a change in decor in this great hall, where our country’s highest honours are awarded. During my first official visit to Prince Edward Island last fall, I had the pleasure of rediscovering at the Confederation ...

Toronto, Sunday, February 19, 2006 It is with great pleasure and emotion that I join you today as governor general of Canada for the Second Chance Scholarship Awards. This event constitutes an excellent opportunity to highlight the achievements of youth who have come a very long way. They have surmo...

Toronto, Monday, February 20, 2006 It is such a pleasure to be here in Toronto, on my first official visit to Ontario, and I want to thank you very much for your warm welcome. My husband regrets that he was not able to join me as he is shooting a film at the moment in Québec City. I look around this...

Toronto, Monday, February 20, 2006 I would also like to acknowledge the presence here this evening of my predecessor, the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, and her husband John Ralston Saul. Thank you, Mr. Thorsell, for that wonderful visit. You and your colleagues at the ROM are to be congratulat...

Toronto, Tuesday, February 21, 2006 I am very pleased to join you all today, and I greatly appreciate the kindness demonstrated by the lieutenant governor. I must say that I feel I have found a kindred spirit. His Honour James Bartleman and I have had similar experiences in our lives. For example, w...

Visit to TOHU, la Cité des arts du cirque Montréal, Friday, February 10, 2006 I stand before you today as both a filmmaker and the life and travel companion of the Governor General of Canada. When I agreed to take on this role alongside my wife, I looked back over my life and the path taken by the i...