February 24, 2009

by Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean

This past year was a busy one, full of activity. It was such a pleasure to see the culmination of two years’ worth of planning for the festivities marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec. We wanted these events to bring people together, to be creative, to serve as rich, festive and imaginative bridges between France and Canada, to be an opportunity to celebrate our history and Francophone culture in its diversity, and to provide us with the opportunity to strengthen numerous ties.

The Citadelle of Québec was at the heart of the festivities, a place for people to come together. It opened its doors to Youth Dialogues, welcoming youth delegates from La Francophonie in the lead up to the XIIe Sommet. It hosted the Art Matters forum on the French language and the creative process, bringing together Francophone and Francophile artists and academics from the Americas, Africa and Europe. It served as the backdrop to exhibits featuring Le Grand Livre de Champlain, paintings from the Winkworth collection, and the history of the City of Québec, showcasing some of its women and men who have been invested into the Order of Canada, the Ordre du Québec, the Légion d’honneur and the British honours system. The Citadelle also hosted several heads of State and government during the Canada-European Union Summit and the Sommet de la Francophonie.

In addition, the historic Residence of the Governor General at the Citadelle of Québec was more open to the public than ever before, holding a number of events and open houses.

I also had the great honour of presiding over several international congresses and conferences held in the City of Québec over this extraordinary year: the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, the World Library and Information Congress, and the ICOMOS conference on issues involving UNESCO heritage sites. And it was with great pleasure that I took part in the World Youth Congress, during which we organized a Youth Dialogue with Apathy is Boring that included the participation of Samian, Jully Black, K’naan, Sol Guy, Benoit Lefebvre and Jordan Croucher.

The City of Québec shone as a meeting place, as a place of reflection. It is an historic site where civilizations have mingled; the locus of French culture in the Americas; a modern city that is warm and inviting; a unique and spectacular setting overlooking the majestic St. Lawrence River.

This year, we also found the time to organize several visits to other cities across Canada to explore a number of key themes.

* Toronto: where we helped to launch a pan-American network of young artists with the Organization of American States; where we launched our mentorship program for the Order of Canada; and where the first national gathering with Aboriginal women organized by a governor general was held on International Women’s Day.

* Calgary: where we opened to the public our Art Matters forum with the cultural community; where many encounters and discussions took place with members of the social services sector on critical issues, notably homelessness and social housing; and where we launched the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.

* Banff: where we brought together some 30 artists and administrators for an incredible, pan-Canadian Art Matters forum on art as a network, a commodity, an essential resource, and a place in which we can express our identities.

* Vancouver: where, in the heart of the Downtown East Side, we organized an Urban Arts Forum with the help of the father of Canadian hip hop, Maestro Fresh Wes. We also made the most of that visit to meet with organizations helping women in crisis and other community resources, notably those helping immigrants and Francophone youth.

* Northwest Territories: in Inuvik, the presentation of the Governor General’s Northern Medal gave us the opportunity to hold a Youth Dialogue, to meet with communities, community contacts and local authorities, and to take part in the National Inuit Education Summit. We then travelled to Tuktoyaktuk, where we took in a number of activities amid the extremely warm and festive welcome of its inhabitants.

* Halifax: where, along with Apathy is Boring, we held a dynamic and inspiring Youth Dialogue with youth from across Canada and artists.

* Ottawa: where we organized a Youth Dialogue with street involved youth at the Youth Services Bureau. 

This year, we also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Order of Canada. Each of our visits across this country gave us the opportunity to meet with Members, Officers and Companions to discuss projects that we might develop together.

On top of all of this, there were dozens of activities, public and formal events at Rideau Hall, and the State visit that we recently made to Central Europe, which you have been able to follow on this Web site.

The year is drawing to a close in an extraordinary political and constitutional context. I was very interested to read some of your comments here on this site, where so many of you have expressed your opinions on the current situation.

As we look forward to a new year, we are filled with hope for what lies ahead, but we also know that there are considerable challenges to face that may cause a great deal of anxiety. The global economic situation can only bring us closer together as we find new ways of living together in harmony.

For 2009, I hope that all of us—nations, governments, communities, businesses, organizations and individuals—will continue to work together, side by side.