Mr. Speaker, the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts were struck to honour the creative power of Canada's artists.
Given out annually since their creation in 1999 by the Canada Council for the Arts, the awards recognize the exceptional careers of six Canadians in the visual and media arts.
The winners of the Governor General's awards are: architect Douglas Cardinal; Tom Dean, Jamelie Hassan and Liz Magor, internationally renowned artists; Russel C. Goodman, whose stained glass creations grace the House of Commons; Alanis Obomsawin, whose work has led to a better understanding of the history and culture of Canada's aboriginal peoples; and Joan Chalmers, a tireless arts advocate and generous philanthropist.
I hope this House will take advantage of this opportunity to thank each of the award recipients for their remarkable contributions to the arts in Canada and the pride they inspire in us.