OTTAWA - To mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General of Canada (OSGG) invites the public to attend a lecture by historian Jacques Lacoursière on 'The Enigma of Champlain' on Sundays, September 7 and 14, 2008, at 2 p.m. at the Residence of the Governor General at the Citadelle of Québec.
Renowned Quebec historian and author Jacques Lacoursière will tell the life and story of Samuel de Champlain, the great explorer and founder of the City of Québec. Participants to the lecture will also have the opportunity to visit Le Grand Livre de Champlain exhibit on display in the Cap-aux-Diamants Redoubt, located a stone's throw away from the Residence of the Governor General.
Admission to this event is free. The public is asked to reserve in advance by e-mail at conference@gg.ca or by phone at 1-866-936-4422, as spaces are limited.
About Le Grand Livre de Champlain
This work of art evokes the voyages of the explorer to "New France, said Canada". Bringing his notes, maps and etchings under one cover, the book was drawn and handwritten by contemporary artists. It is made of canvas on wood, is set in a metal binding, and weighs 300 kilograms. Visitors will be able to turn the 2.2-metre-high and 1.5-metre-wide pages themselves. On May 8, 2008, the cities of La Rochelle and Rochefort and the Agglomération Royan Atlantique presented this masterful original work to their Excellencies during their official visit to France. Le Grand Livre de Champlain exhibit was officially inaugurated by Their Excellencies and distinguished guests on May 29, 2008; the book is on display at the Cap-aux-Diamants Redoubt until October 2008.
Other 400th Exhibit - The City of Québec Told Through Honours
Through French, British, Canadian and Quebecois honours, this exhibit focuses on 40 women and men who have contributed to the development of Québec, and who have been recognized by the city's consecutive regimes and governments since its foundation in 1608. Visitors can see the insignia of the Légion d'honneur, the Order of the British Empire, the Ordre national du Québec and the Order of Canada. They can also find out how, since the foundation of Québec, the coats-of-arms and flags of France and Great Britain have been used as symbols of identity, authority and sovereignty. This exhibit is on display at the Residence of the Governor General at the Citadelle of Québec until the end of October 2008.
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Media information
Marie-Ève Létourneau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-0287
613-302-0912 (cellular)
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca
