Canadian BIOGRAPHY® of the Year Essay Contest
Nathalie Jayamanna
FIRST PRIZE (GRADES 5 TO 8)
Prize: $2,500
Subject: Michaëlle Jean
"Her promise is the promise of what we almost are, of what we want to be. This visionary leader can revive us into some resemblance of our true potential."(1)
There's a reason for the extraordinary attention paid to Michaëlle Jean. She's Canada's first black Governor-General, the second person from a visible minority and foreign-born, and the third woman to hold the position of Governor-General.
She fled with her family from Francoise Duvalier's dictatorship in Haiti, 1968. "The story of that little girl, who watched her parents, family and friends grappling with the horrors of a ruthless dictatorship, who became the woman standing before you today, is a lesson in learning to be free," (2) she declared. She's become an award-winning journalist, a celebrated television host and producer. She's educated in Canada and Italy, and is fluent in French, English, Spanish, Italian and Haitian Creole.
With Michaëlle Jean as Governor-General, there's a new light shining upon the people of a visible minority. She demonstrates that you have to work hard to succeed. She's gotten far by her own work, not by the biased views of others.
In 2005, Michaëlle Jean has cleared the path for hundreds of thousands of Canadians. She's set a great example. "We must eliminate the spectre of all the solitudes and promote solidarity among all the citizens who make up the Canada of today,"(3) she said. She speaks of hope, freedom, and overcoming prejudice. This is the kinds of attitude that will change tomorrow and forever.
Works Cited
1. Ibbitson, John, "The remarkable new Governor-General" Globe and Mail, September 28, 2005.
2. The Right Honorable Governor General Michaëlle Jean installation speech to Canadians. September 27, 2005.
3. The Right Honorable Governor General Michaëlle Jean installation speech to Canadians, September 27, 2005.
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