Where: Michaëlle Jean Foundation office at the University of Ottawa
Presented by: Kin Canada Foundation President Curtis Kimpton, KCF Treasurer Sean Thompson, LM
The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean was presented an HRF because of her outstanding, compassionate leadership as Governor General of Canada and her on-going community service as UNESCO’s special envoy to Haiti.
“Madame Jean’s motto, Break the Solitude/ BRISER LES SOLITUDES, speaks to the constant effort to bring all Canadians — young, old, French and English together to build a better Canada. Madame Jean’s vision speaks to all Kin as we seek to change lives and build community,” said Curtis Kimpton.
Mme. Jean came to Canada in 1968 as a refugee from Haiti. She is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who devoted a tremendous amount of effort to charity work, particularly to assist immigrants to Canada and victims of domestic violence. In 2005, she was appointed governor general by Queen Elizabeth II and served as the 27th Governor General of Canada from 2005 to 2010.
In her first remarks after this announcement, Mme. Jean encouraged Canadians to involve themselves in their communities, and stated that she wished to reach out to all Canadians, regardless of their background, and made it a goal to focus especially on Canadian youth and the disadvantaged.
“You are a Leader in so far as you help to create those decisions and educate your constituents about why the decisions make sense,” said Mme. Jean. “It’s not about me. It’s about them.”