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Iqaluit, Monday, April 17, 2006 My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I are delighted to be here in Nunavut, “your land,” to kick off the Toonik Tyme festival with you. We feel privileged to celebrate this festival of spring with you, to mark the passage from darkness into light, particularly since you ...

Iqaluit, Tuesday, April 18, 2006 It is an honour for me and my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, to be here this evening in the company of those who had a hand in creating this territory and who are now shaping its evolution and our sovereignty. I vividly recall the creation of Nunavut in the spring of 1...

April 20, 2006 On behalf of all Canadians, it is my sincere honour and great pleasure to offer Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II my congratulations on the occasion of her 80th birthday. The connection between Her Majesty and Canadians is an enduring and deeply rooted one. The Queen’s devotion to Canada...

Cape Dorset, Wednesday, April 19, 2006 For me and my husband, this trip is a dream come true. Our daughter, Marie-Éden, would have loved to be here to meet you, but she has school back in Ottawa. We will certainly return one day with her. We are both delighted to be here with you in a community wher...

Cape Dorset, Friday, April 21, 2006 I have been looking forward to meeting with you and am delighted that you have made it to school this afternoon. I am deeply moved by your welcome. To thank you and to mark Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday, I have brought you a gift. I am giving the ...

April 24, 2006 “Thousands upon thousands of Canadians, women and men, young and old, have the boldness to dream big dreams and the determination to act for the good of all. They support their fellow citizens in a myriad of ways, including their involvement in sports, arts or community initiatives. V...

April 22, 2006 “It was with deep emotion and sadness that Jean-Daniel Lafond and I heard from Cape Dorset, Nunavut, of the terrible tragedy which took the lives of four Canadians serving in Afghanistan. Corporal Matthew Dinning, Bombardier Myles Mansell, Lieutenant William Turner and a fourth soldie...

Rideau Hall, Monday, April 24, 2006 It is with great pleasure that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I welcome you here to Rideau Hall. Ten years ago, one of my predecessors, the Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, created the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award, and joining us this morning is hi...

April 25, 2006 "A man hides in a forest with his family. They forage what they can to survive, hiding from detection because of their religion. Despite the man’s caution, and to his horror, he returns from a search for food to discover his wife, his child and other family and friends taken from him ...

Montreal, Wednesday, April 26, 2006 This year, Léopold Sédar Senghor would have been 100 years old. Last year, we commemorated the 50th anniversary of Aimé Césaire’s Discourse on Colonialism which caused a scandal at the time. Senghor and Césaire. Two brothers in language, heart and mind. Two key fi...

Rideau Hall, Thursday, April 27, 2006 It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to Rideau Hall. I am the mother of a young girl whom, as I like to say, I have long carried in my heart before holding her in my arms. I know that caring for a child brings happiness and joy. But, no doubt we can all agree,...

Rideau Hall, Friday, April 28, 2006 It is an honour for me to welcome you to Rideau Hall. Dear recipients, you are everyday heroes. Too often, your achievements are left off the front page. And yet, you have saved lives, eased suffering and misery, brought comfort and support. You are women and men ...

Edmonton, Thursday, May 4, 2006 Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a great pleasure for my husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and me, and also for our daughter Marie-Éden, to begin here in Edmonton our first official visit to Alberta. We may be a bit early for the wild roses, but the warmth of your hospitality i...

Edmonton, Thursday, May 4, 2006 My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond, our daughter Marie-Éden, and I are very pleased to be here in Edmonton on my first official visit to your beautiful and dynamic “wild rose province”. Since arriving last night, I have been treated to trademark Alberta friendliness. This ...

Edmonton, Friday, May 5, 2006 Thank you for welcoming me, my husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and our daughter, Marie‑Éden, to City Hall, a place of gathering, dialogue and debate for the citizens of Edmonton. More than simply the “Gateway to the North”, Edmonton is Canada’s northernmost metropolitan cent...

Millarville, Friday, May 5, 2006 My daughter Marie-Éden and I have been looking forward to meeting you. We have already heard about you from your teachers, Loretta and Patti. The letters you sent us helped us to get to know you a little better. I read every one, and I must say, I was deeply touched....

Calgary, Friday, May 5, 2006 My husband Jean-Daniel and I are delighted that my first official visit to Alberta allowed us to be here with you this evening at a dinner hosted by Their Honours, Mary and Norman Kwong, during Asian Heritage month. Well before he ever became lieutenant governor, His Hon...

Rideau Hall, Friday, May 12, 2006 There are many elements that make Canada great—like its rich cultural diversity, its linguistic duality, and the strong sense of community that binds people together. However, there are three in particular that I would like to highlight today, and they are our count...

Montreal, Tuesday, May 2, 2006 I am deeply moved to be here with you today, to see old colleagues, friends, so many familiar faces. This celebration to mark World Press Freedom Day has a personal resonance for me. Allow me to explain as I take you back to my childhood for a moment. As a child, I lea...

Regina, Tuesday, May 9, 2006 Thank you for welcoming me into your community to witness the fruits of your efforts to revitalize North Central Regina. Your energy, commitment and resourcefulness are inspirational. I know first hand some measure of these challenges. The fear of not having a home to go...