Governor General’s Performing Arts Award Presentation Ceremony

June 13, 2025

Check against delivery

I am pleased to welcome all of you to Rideau Hall this evening for this presentation of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.

Welcome to Rideau Hall for this special presentation.

I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation.

By acknowledging their enduring connection to this land, we honour their stories and continue to foster reconciliation through understanding.

Performing arts connect us through stories, song and dance. They reflect our cultures and identities as Canadians.

The arts possess a tremendous power in their capacity to inspire us, to challenge us, and to unite us.

Each laureate being recognized here tonight represents artistic excellence. Through your art, you help us dream bigger.

You are the storytellers, the visionaries, the creators, the voices that echo across our country.

You have moved us to laughter - and to tears. You have made us think, reflect, remember - and sometimes, forget everything for just a moment.

You have each given us something unique and unforgettable. And you have opened doors for others.

Your work inspires emerging artists to take risks, speak up, and believe that their voice matters too.

You have a unique ability to help us feel emotions that often feel impossible for us to express ourselves.

Thank you for your passion. For your courage.

Thank you for giving everything you have to your craft, and for enriching our country in the process.

Congratulations to each of you on this well-deserved honour.