Rideau Hall, Friday, May 9, 2014

Sharon and I are delighted to welcome all of you to Rideau Hall, an excellent place to honour the arts in Canada!

Every year, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards gives us the opportunity to shine a light on and celebrate the men and women behind the performances, as well as those who support the arts in countless ways.

This year’s laureates have given us so many wonderful memories; they have brought us joy, sadness, excitement and enlightenment; and they have made us think and reflect. Together, they have performed on stage and screen, behind the scenes and in front of the world. We celebrate them tonight for their achievements, but I am certain they still have so much more to show us!

Here at Rideau Hall, we are always looking for ways to showcase all the talent that Canada has to offer.

Since the beginning of my mandate as governor general, we have hosted concerts, dance troupes and singers. We most recently hosted an enjoyable evening of performances in honour of Robert Lepage, winner of the Glenn Gould Prize and past recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.

But never in the history of this institution have we shown Canadian movies under the stars.

Until now!

What do you think?

Too theatrical?

There will be no shortage of theatrics this August, as Rideau Hall will be screening English and French Canadian films outdoors.

It is a chance to showcase what we have always known: Canada’s performing artists deserve to be venerated and celebrated.

I am excited to welcome the public to Rideau Hall for these outdoor events, because Canada really is home to some of the world’s greatest artists—just look at the list of Performing Arts Awards laureates for any year, including this one, and you will see this is true.

All of you have played a role in shaping our cultural identity. And you go forth, out into the world, sharing your talents through music and dance and drama, and so much more.

You are Canadian ambassadors of the highest calibre.

Over the past couple of years, we have visited some of the world’s most famous performing arts hubs: India, New York and Los Angeles. And everywhere we went, we encountered only respect and admiration for the artistic contributions of Canadians.

As Canadians, we tend to be modest. This is often an admirable trait, but it can also obscure our achievements and cause us to overlook the remarkable talent that exists within this country.

When I go abroad and see how successful Canadians are, when I see Canadians on TV, talking about the honours they have received at home, it brings me great pride.

All of you here have followed your passion and your vision of art. You have worked hard at your craft, perfecting it over time, and you are continuing to learn new things, to astound audiences.

You inspire others with your success and your art. And you have given back to our communities and our country in so many ways.

Today, you join an impressive list of luminaries, fellow artists and supporters of the arts who have reinvented and redefined the performing arts, time and again.

Please let me add my own congratulations to those of your fans, friends and loved ones. And thank you for your contributions to the performing arts in Canada.