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Governor General’s First Official Visit to Quebec February 8 to 15, 2006February 7, 2006 OTTAWA – Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond will travel to Quebec City and Montreal for their first official visit to Quebec, February 8 to 15, 2006. “It is with great emotion and pride that I make this first official visit to Quebec as Governor General of Canada. My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I are excited to meet and talk with Quebeckers from all walks of life so that we may continue the dialogue that is so dear to our hearts,” the Governor General stated. Traditionally, governors general travel to each province and territory during the first year of their mandate to meet with Canadians in their respective communities. The detailed itinerary is attached. The schedule is subject to change. -30- Media information in Ottawa February 8 to 15 in Quebec City and Montreal Detailed Itinerary Wednesday, February 8 – Quebec City 2:00 p.m. Arrival in Quebec City 2:20 p.m. Welcoming Ceremony at La Citadelle of Québec Thursday, February 9 – Quebec City 4:00 p.m. Meeting with the Premier of Quebec, the Honourable Jean Charest 7:00 p.m. Dinner hosted by the Premier in honour of Their Excellencies Friday, February 10 – Quebec City and Montreal 9:00 a.m. Meeting and discussion with child prostitution prevention counsellors 11:30 a.m. Civic call to Quebec City City Hall 8:00 p.m. Participation in the “Saint-Michel fait son cinema” evening Sunday, February 12 – Montreal 11:00 a.m. As part of Black History Month, participation in a special service at St. James United Church Monday, February 13 – Montreal 12:00 p.m. Civic call to Montreal City Hall 4:00 p.m. Governor General’s Caring Canadian Awards presentation ceremony 7:30 p.m. Discussion with individuals working in the Petite-Bourgogne and Saint-Henri neighbourhoods Tuesday, February 14 – Montreal 9:30 a.m. Discussion with representatives of the Regroupement provincial des maisons d’hébergement et de transition pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale 3:30 p.m. Visit to the Maison des enfants de l’île de Montréal Wednesday, February 15 – Quebec City and Montreal 1:00 p.m. Visit to the Établissement de détention de Montréal Annex The Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award The Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award is presented to individuals whose unpaid, voluntary contributions provide extraordinary help or care to people in the community. Recipients usually have served over a number of years and normally have not been previously recognized by a national or provincial honour. The Caring Canadian Award consists of a certificate and a lapel pin. The award symbol represents Canadians who selflessly give of their time and energy to others. The maple leaf symbolizes the people of Canada and their spirit. The heart depicts the openheartedness of volunteers and caregivers. The helping hand and heart support the maple leaf. The hand is outstretched to portray boundless generosity. Citations for the Nine Caring Canadian Award Recipients Fay Bland, Montreal, Quebec For more than 50 years, the efforts and achievements of Fay Bland have enabled scores of developmentally disabled children and young adults to lead challenging and autonomous lives in the community. A natural leader, Mrs. Bland founded the Lakeshore Association for Retarded Citizens and the Lakeshore Vocational Projects Association (LVPA), which have given hope to many families. Mrs. Bland spearheaded AVATIL (Apprentissage à la vie autonome/Towards Independent Living) and inspired the establishment of Comitas, a program for the disabled population aged over 40. She has also served as an executive on many boards to further develop community services for those with intellectual disabilities. Nicole Desmarais, Saint-Pie-de-Guire, Quebec The Saint-Pie-de-Guire recreation committee has been a resounding success thanks to Nicole Desmarais’ 22 years of determined effort and unparalleled dedication. She has been the chair, director and secretary of recreation and had a hand in the skating rink and chalet improvement projects. To encourage youth to engage in physical activity, she has organized broomball, hockey and baseball tournaments. It is with gratitude and admiration that the community of Saint-Pie-de-Guire remembers, among other things, the children’s Christmas parties that she spearheaded. Giuseppina Paola Di Paolo, Montreal, Quebec In 1981, Canadians were distraught to hear of Terry Fox’s lost battle against cancer. In response, Giuseppina Di Paolo organized a 10K Terry Fox Walkathon, that same year, at École secondaire Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal, where she teaches Canadian history. The school has raised a total of $225 000 for the Terry Fox Campaign thus far, the most of any Canadian school, and continues its commitment to this annual fundraiser for cancer research. She has also initiated other programs in the school: a Remembrance Day tribute to war veterans, a Canadian citizenship ceremony and the Big Brother/Big Sister Program. Jacques Fournaise, Sainte-Catherine, Quebec Many charitable organizations can attest to Jacques Fournaise’s generosity. Through the social club at his place of employment, he has organized Christmas parties and prepared Christmas hampers. For several years in a row, he opened his home to foreign students. Concerned for future paths taken by the youth of Pointe-Saint-Charles, Mr. Fournaise teaches them to wrestle and coordinates matches, donating the profits to the church where they meet. He has also set up a number of activities for the cadet corps and continues to prepare dinners for the veterans at the Canadian Legion. Marion Grandin and William Grandin, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec Determined to improve the quality of life for children born with Down syndrome, Marion and William Grandin spearheaded the first annual Outdoor Art Show to develop the West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped (WIAIH). Created in 1959, it is now the largest outdoor exhibition fundraising event in Canada. The Grandins also helped establish the John F. Kennedy School for children requiring special education. They were also instrumental in creating a workshop for people with intellectual disabilities and solicited the support of West Island businesses to hire and train adults with learning disabilities. Mrs. Grandin has volunteered her time to the Lakeshore General Hospital since 1978 and continues to organize fundraisers with her husband for the projects dear to them. Their commitment has had an exceptional impact on the lives of many intellectually challenged children, young adults and their families across the province of Quebec. Anthony Shorgan and Lucy Shorgan, Montreal, Quebec The first child to be registered with the Quebec Society for Disabled Children, Anthony Shorgan has devoted his life to improving the quality of life of physically challenged children. Lucy Shorgan has supported her husband in his endeavours and, for more than two decades, spent every summer in a rustic cabin at Camp Papillon, a holiday centre for children with disabilities, which her husband directed. She managed the facilities, welcomed the guests and organized every celebration. Upon Mr. Shorgan’s retirement, the couple spent the next 20 years promoting the camp through fundraising campaigns. Today, Camp Papillon is one of the largest camps for disabled children in North America. Arhondoula Vassiliadou-Augoustis, Montreal, Park-Extension, Quebec In 1976, Arhondoula Augoustis established a home economics program in the basement of her community’s Greek Orthodox church. The program, which included a religious instruction component, ran for 10 years and enabled girls from disadvantaged Greek families to learn traditional sewing, cooking, embroidery, knitting, handiworks, and social manners. With an amazing missionary spirit, she provided sewing machines, supplies and groceries at her own expense, and helped some of the students to pursue secondary education through the ‘‘Benevolent Fund’’ she had set up. Over the years, hundreds of students have benefited from her teachings and legacy. |
