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January 11, 2015 Message from the Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of the 200th Birthday of Sir John A. Macdonald OTTAWA—One of the Fathers of Confederation, Canada’s first prime minister, a businessman, lawyer and politician, Sir John A. Macdonald left an indelible mark at the heart of ou...

September 10, 2014 Message from the Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Canada’s Engagement in the Second World War OTTAWA— Seventy-five years ago, on September 10, 1939, Canada officially entered the Second World War. Thousands of Canadians would go on to serve and...

September 9, 2014 Message from Her Majesty The Queen Following the Discovery of One of the Franklin Expedition Ships OTTAWA—As Governor General of Canada, I wanted to share a message addressed to all Canadians from Her Majesty The Queen following the discovery of one of the two ships belonging to th...

December 6, 2013 Message from the Governor General on the Occasion of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women OTTAWA—The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, is a day on which our whole society...

December 5, 2013 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of International Volunteer Day OTTAWA—On the occasion of International Volunteer Day, I would like to highlight the spirit of caring and giving that inspires all those who gi...

December 27, 2013 Governor General of Canada’s New Year’s Message OTTAWA— As we usher in 2014, I think back on the past year—the challenges we have faced and the joys we have experienced as a country. My wife, Sharon, and I are thankful to live and work in this country, where so many Canadians are d...

December 24, 2013 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, to Members of the Canadian Armed Forces OTTAWA— I am pleased to extend season’s greetings to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen of the Canadian Armed Forces. ...

January 23, 2014 Message from the Governor General Following the Fire in L’Isle-Verte OTTAWA—It was with great sadness that Sharon and I heard about this morning’s fire at a senior’s residence, in L’Isle-Verte, Quebec. Our thoughts are with all those who lost a loved one and our prayers are with tho...

January 24, 2014 Message from Her Majesty The Queen OTTAWA – As Governor General of Canada and representative of Her Majesty the Queen, I wish to share with all Canadians her message addressed to those affected by yesterday’s tragic fire in L’Isle-Verte, Quebec. David Johnston -30- The message can b...

September 10, 2012 Message from the Governor General Congratulating Canadian Athletes on their Performances at the London 2012 Paralympic Games OTTAWA—On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to congratulate our country’s athletes on their achievements at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. There w...

February 1, 2015 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of Black History Month OTTAWA— For nearly 20 years, February has been designated as Black History Month. I am always pleased to highlight and recognize the tremendous contrib...

May 31, 2007 “My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I were saddened to learn of the death of Master Corporal Darrell Jason Priede, an imagery technician, in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan. Like his comrades in the Canadian Forces and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, Master Cpl...

June 3, 2007 "This year, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, a turning point in our country’s history. In many ways, we can say that the esteem in which we are held worldwide is due in large part to the courage and sacrifice displayed that day by the Canadian Forces. And ...

June 12, 2007 “My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I were saddened to learn of the death of Trooper Darryl Caswell, yesterday in Afghanistan. Alongside their NATO Force partners, Canadian Forces units are tirelessly doing their utmost to establish security and stability in Afghanistan, despite the man...

June 12, 2007 “The strong presence of solidarity and diversity that exists throughout the public service reflects the importance these values have in the lives of Canadians. In the spirit of solidarity, thousands of public servants come together every day to achieve their common goal of ensuring the...

June 20, 2007 “While in Yukon on our official visit, my husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I were grieved to learn of the deaths of three Canadian soldiers, when their vehicle struck an explosive device near Kandahar City, Afghanistan. The loss of Sergeant Christos Karigiannis, Corporal Stephen Frederic...

June 21, 2007 Everywhere I have been within Canada’s vast territory, I have met many women and men—youth and others of all ages—in Inuit, Métis and First Nations communities. They all conveyed the same unwavering desire to preserve their identity, to remain deeply rooted in their way of life and in ...

June 22, 2007 For me, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day has always marked the beginning of summer, a season filled with festivals, rhythms, colours and accents. This day is an opportunity to celebrate the unique contribution francophonie has made to North American soil, as well as the unifying power of a lang...

June 27, 2007 “Canadian Multiculturalism Day is even more meaningful this year as we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Canadian Citizenship Act. Since it came into force on January 3, 1947, more than six million people from all around the world have come to Canada to explore new possibilit...

June 29, 2007 “It was with great emotion that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I learned of the death of William Hutt, a great Canadian stage actor. Born in Toronto, Mr. Hutt began acting at a very young age and did not leave the stage until he was 85 years old. His sensitivity to the wider world...