Rideau Hall Movie Nights—French Screening

Rideau Hall, Thursday, June 30, 2016

Welcome, all of you, to Rideau Hall!

What a fantastic night to watch a movie under the stars.

Tonight, we have a special showing.

Our feature presentation is Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre, a satirical film by writer and director Philippe Falardeau about our system of government and political culture in Ottawa.

And there is one other important aspect the film portrays: the state of our democracy.

I’ve always said that a strong democratic society is one where everyone has a chance to participate. Whether you’re a public servant or work in the private sector, whether you were born in Canada or came here seeking new opportunities, everyone has something to contribute.

A healthy democracy is born from engaged citizens who care about the communities they live in.

I’ve seen so many instances where Canadians have perceived a need in the community and have been moved to action.

It’s what makes this country so great.

And we live in a country where our artists can both poke fun at and make us think about our role in shaping the country in which we want to live.

And by making us think, they hope to inspire us to do good things for our country, to improve the lives of people around us.

That is the power and reach of Canadian artists!

As we watch this film, I hope we can all appreciate not only the hard work it took in bringing this story to life, but also how meaningful its message is.

I’d also like to express my gratitude to all the partners who helped make this event happen. Your commitment to Canadian culture is an inspiration.

And now, I invite you to relax, eat some popcorn and enjoy the show!

Thank you.