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November 20, 2015 Message from the Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of National Child Day OTTAWA—For my wife, Sharon, and me, there is no greater joy in life than watching our children and grandchildren grow. Our relationship with them is central to our lives, not only as parents and grand...

Rideau Hall, Tuesday, December 1st, 2015 I begin by acknowledging that this important event is taking place on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Nation. Welcome, all of you, to this forum on welcoming Syrian refugees to Canada. This forum is about much more than that, in fact. It’s about li...

Rideau Hall, Wednesday, December 2, 2015 Welcome, all of you, to this celebration of the very best in contemporary Canadian literature. This is the 79th presentation of the Governor General’s Literary Awards, established in 1936 by my predecessor, Lord Tweedsmuir. Of course, Lord Tweedsmuir was bett...

December 5, 2015 Message from the Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of International Volunteer Day OTTAWA— As we mark International Volunteer Day, it is important that we take the time to thank, to congratulate and to highlight all those who give their time, talent and resources to benefit ...

December 6, 2015 Message from the Governor General on the Occasion of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women OTTAWA— Every year, December 6 is a heartbreaking reminder of the horrible tragedy that shook our nation. In 1989, a gunman killed 13 students and one employee i...

Rideau Hall, Wednesday, December 9, 2015 It’s a great pleasure to welcome all of you to Rideau Hall. Though you have lived here for years—and are already Canadians in your heart—it is an honour to host you on the day you officially become full-fledged citizens of this great country. In a few moments...

Rideau Hall, Friday, December 11, 2015 What a great day for Canada! We’re gathered here at Rideau Hall for a very special occasion: the presentation of the Meritorious Service Decorations, Civil Division. I know that many of you have travelled great distances to be here today. Thank you so much for ...

Rideau Hall, Monday, December 14, 2015 It’s a pleasure to welcome you to Rideau Hall and to Canada. As you know, Canada is a diverse country, home to hundreds of languages, cultures and backgrounds. Canadians are also curious about the world, and we understand the importance of learning and of being...

Toronto, Tuesday, December 15, 2015 What a pleasure to join you for the opening of this important conference on machine learning and the intelligence market. I begin by welcoming those of you who have travelled to Toronto from abroad and from across Canada for this special event. I just know that I’...

Oakville, Ontario, Tuesday, December 15, 2015 What a pleasure it is to be here in Oakville with all of you to talk about giving a warm welcome to Syrian refugees. Let me say how wonderful it is that many of you have travelled here today from other communities in the region. It’s so important that we...

December 29, 2015 Governor General of Canada’s New Year’s Message Happy New Year, Canada! This is such a special time of year—a time to reflect and a time to look ahead at the months to come. 2015 was quite a year for Canada. It was the Year of Sport, and Canadians hosted two major international spo...

December 24, 2015 Message from the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada to the Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and to Canadians Serving our Country Abroad OTTAWA—At this festive time of year, Sharon and I would like to offer our best wishes for the holiday season to the members of ...

Rideau Hall, Thursday, February 26, 2015 What a pleasure it is to welcome such fine men and women in uniform to Rideau Hall, the home of the people of Canada. It’s so appropriate for us to gather here to recognize outstanding military service. Rideau Hall is where we come together to celebrate our v...

Rideau Hall, Friday, February 27, 2015 We gather here at Rideau Hall, home of the people of Canada, to celebrate a man who serves the people of Canada. Today, we present Mr. Ian Burney with the 2014 Outstanding Achievement Award of the Public Service of Canada. Mr. Burney, you have done so much to p...

Prince George, British Columbia, Sunday, March 1st, 2015 Hello, Prince George! Hello, Canada! The finish line’s almost in sight! It’s such a privilege to be here at the closing of the 2015 Canada Winter Games during this, the Year of Sport in Canada. Let’s look at some numbers: 2,400 athletes; 1,000...

Rideau Hall, Friday, March 6, 2015 Welcome all of you to Rideau Hall for this presentation of the Decorations for Bravery. This is the home of the people of Canada, and I am so pleased to see such brave and compassionate Canadians fill this ballroom today. I have heard your stories, and I am truly m...

March 9, 2015 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston,Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of Commonwealth Day OTTAWA— The Commonwealth is an integral part of our collective identity, and its history is deeply intertwined with that of Canada. Since her accession to the...

March 8, 2015 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of International Women’s Day OTTAWA— International Women’s Day is an opportunity for us to celebrate how far we have come in achieving gender equality. Although great strides an...

March 7, 2015 Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, Following the Death of Sergeant Andrew Joseph Doiron OTTAWA—My wife, Sharon, and I were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Sergeant Andrew Joseph Doiron of the Canad...

March 20, 2015 Message from the Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of the Journée internationale de la Francophonie OTTAWA—Millions of people around the world are united by the French language, in which can be found a multitude of wonderful cultures and accents. The Journée internationale de...