May 26, 2010 Governor General to meet with President Calderón at Rideau Hall   OTTAWA—Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond will meet with His Excellency Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of the United Mexican States, and Mrs. Margarita Zavala on:  Thursday May 27, 2010, at 2:30 p.m.,  at Rideau Hall. Their Excellencies carried out a State visit to Mexico from December 6 to 9, 2009.  They were welcomed by President … [Read more...]

May 22, 2010 His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond Elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts   OTTAWA—His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. He received this honour during the Presidents’ Dinner, at the Château Frontenac in the City of Québec, on Friday, May 21, on the occasion of the 130th Annual General Assembly of the Academy. “Like a reassuring friend, cinema has allowed me, in exile, to chart a territory, a geography, a voice; to … [Read more...]

    Governor General to Receive an Honorary Degree from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston   OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will receive an honoris causa doctorate in Military Science from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC), in Kingston, Ontario. The event will take place on Thursday, May 20, 2010.  Upon her arrival, the Governor General will conduct the inspection of an honour guard … [Read more...]

    Presentation of Credentials Presentation of Credentials at Rideau Hall OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will receive the credentials of one new high commissioner and five new ambassadors on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., in the Ballroom at Rideau Hall. His Excellency Bruno van der Pluijm Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Belgium His Excellency Amadou Tidiane Wone Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Senegal Her … [Read more...]

May 11, 2010 Governor General of CANADA to meet with Secretary-General of the United Nations at Rideau Hall Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of The United Nations OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will meet with His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on Wednesday May 12, 2010, at 9 a.m., at Rideau Hall. Accredited media wishing to cover the official photo of the Governor General and the Secretary-General of … [Read more...]

May 10, 2010 ADDRESS Before: The Canadian Club at DiverseCity Event in Toronto OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, delivered today the opening address at a DiverseCity event hosted by the Canadian Club of Toronto. In her address entitled “Corporate Engagement and the Drive to Inspire: Empowering New Leaders in 21st Century Canada,” the Governor General spoke about the key role the business community can play to help create a stronger, … [Read more...]

May 4, 2010    Message from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, on the death of Petty Officer Second Class Craig Blake OTTAWA—My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I have just received the tragic news of the death of a Canadian Forces member in Afghanistan. Petty Officer Second Class Craig Blake Blake a member of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic), based in Shearwater, Nova Scotia, was killed by an improvised explosive device during … [Read more...]

The Governor General Celebrates the Performing Arts at Rideau Hall OTTAWA— Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond will present this year’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on Friday, April 30, 2010, at 6 p.m. Their Excellencies will also attend the Gala Performance at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, on May 1, 2010, where outstanding performers will celebrate the … [Read more...]

April 26, 2010 Presentation of Credentials at Rideau Hall   OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will receive the credentials of four new ambassadors on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., in the Ballroom at Rideau Hall. His Excellency The Most Reverend Pedro López Quintana Ambassador-designate of the Holy See  Excellency Le Sy Vuong Ha Ambassador-designate of the Socialist Republic of VietnamHis His Excellency Ali Hussain Saleh … [Read more...]

April 23, 2010   Governor General Highlights The Importance of Journalistic Responsibility and Ethics During Visit to Rwanda   OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, reiterated the importance she gives to journalism in democratic societies in an address delivered yesterday at the National University of Rwanda, in Butare. The Governor General attended a roundtable on the civic responsibility of the media.  “I appreciate the weighty … [Read more...]

  April 20, 2010 The Governor General Delivers a Vibrant Plea for African Women   OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, delivered a vibrant plea for the important roles that African Women must play for the future of Africa in a speech yesterday to the National Assembly and Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “No democratization or advancement is possible without the recognition of the role women play in the development of … [Read more...]

 April 16, 2010 The Governor General Insists on the Importance of Media in Democratic Societies OTTAWA—During her second day in Senegal, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, vigorously defended the role of the media in the emergence of a new Africa in remarks delivered at University Cheikh Anta Diop, in Dakar. “Journalism cultivates clear-sightedness, nourishes vigilance and denounces practices that attempt to stop people from reaching their full … [Read more...]

April 10, 2010 Message from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, on the death of President Lech Kaczynski. President Lech Kaczynski OTTAWA – It was with shock and deep sadness that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I learned of the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of President Lech Kaczynski and all passengers and crew in Smolensk, Russia. A brave champion of freedom and patriotic pride, as well as a pioneer of the Solidarity movement, … [Read more...]

April 9, 2010 Canadian Delegates to Accompany Governor General on State Visits to Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and on Official Visit to Cape Verde OTTAWA — On the State visits to Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and the official visit to Cape Verde, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will be accompanied by nine Canadian delegates who will actively participate in meetings and discussions with … [Read more...]