Mr. Speaker, the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards recognize Canadian artists who have enriched our lives by virtue of their talent, vision and generosity of spirit. This group includes: international rock superstars The Guess Who; prima ballerina Karen Kain; Joy Coghill, for her remarkable contributions to the world of theatre; Phil Nimmons, jazz musician, educator and composer; theatre director André Brassard, for bringing to life some of the best loved plays in the canon of Québécois, Canadian and international theatre; and Jean-Pierre Perreault, an accomplished choreographer.
Father Fernand Lindsay receives the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for over 50 years of voluntarism in the performing arts.
The National Arts Centre Award is presented to pianist and virtuoso Angela Hewitt.
Congratulations to all of this year's recipients.