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January 7, 2008 OTTAWA — My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I were deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Warrant Officer Hani Massouh and of Corporal Éric Labbé, both from the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment, based out of Valcartier, during a tragic accident southwest of Kandahar City, in Afg...

Toronto, Saturday, January 12, 2008 We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of a man who has touched the hearts and minds of audiences around the world. Touted as the “Maharajah of the keyboard,” Oscar Peterson has left an indelible mark on the cultural heritage of the entire world. Whether...

January 15, 2008 OTTAWA — It was with great sadness that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I heard of the death of Trooper Richard Renaud, whose vehicle hit an improvised explosive device during a patrol north of Kandahar City. He will be sorely missed by all of his colleagues from the 12e Régimen...

Calgary, Thursday, January 17, 2008 I am delighted to be here with you today. This centre bears the name of a great man, George McDougall. Reverend McDougall had a hand in the efforts to colonize Western Canada, being both considerate of and respectful to those who called the land “home” long before...

Calgary, Friday, January 18, 2008 Each of us carries the seeds for a rich and full life. Sometimes, all it takes is a helping hand or a kind and gentle word for those seeds to begin to germinate, when once they were thought dead, and for the harvest to be abundant. Every word counts, every action ma...

Calgary, Friday, January 18, 2008 It is a pleasure for my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I to be here with you. This evening, within these walls of the Glenbow Museum, we find ourselves immersed in the universe of Emily Carr, a woman and an artist of great depth who uncovered the beauty of our wil...

Calgary, Saturday, January 19, 2008 Good afternoon and welcome to this instalment of Art Matters, created as a forum for dialogue and reflection. My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I are thrilled to welcome artists, patrons, business people, decision makers and the citizens of Calgary interested in...

January 18, 2008 OTTAWA—My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, our daughter, Marie-Éden, and I join with all Canadians in sending our very best wishes to Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands on the occasion of her 65th birthday. Canada and the Netherlands have long shared a close relatio...

Art Matters Forum at the High Performance Rodeo Calgary, Saturday, January 19, 2008 I am delighted to be back in Calgary to continue this collective dialogue about culture in a city that is experiencing an unprecedented economic boom. This notion of examining the present and future of a city, in whi...

January 24, 2008 OTTAWA—My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I were saddened to learn of the death of Corporal Étienne Gonthier of the 5e Régiment du génie, when the vehicle he was in rolled over yet another of those deadly explosive devices that continue to claim lives in Afghanistan. Two more of ou...

Vancouver, Wednesday, January 23, 2008 My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I are delighted to be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Order of Canada with you during our visit to Vancouver. One of my goals for this anniversary year is to highlight the Order of Canada, its members and their ...

Vancouver, Thursday, January 24, 2008 How are you doing? I must begin by thanking you for such a warm welcome here this evening. It is an honour for me and my husband Jean-Daniel to be back here in the Downtown Eastside to celebrate with you the first anniversary of the Governor General’s Urban Arts...

Urban Arts Forum Vancouver, Thursday, January 24, 2008 Good evening, I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to experience the critical cultural space you are forging for yourself in Vancouver. As my wife and I are privileged to observe creators, decision-makers, researchers and the general publ...

Vancouver, Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Let me begin by thanking you, Mayor Sam Sullivan, for inviting me to join you this afternoon, as we discuss an issue that has always been close to my heart: homelessness. The visit to Western Canada that I am undertaking is really an extension of the efforts th...