Remarks at a celebration of Poetry at the Library of Parliament
Speaker Regan, fellow parliamentarians, Dr. Lank, Madame LeBlanc, distinguished guests,
It is a great pleasure to be with you on this special occasion to mark Open House Week at the Library of Parliament and to celebrate poets and poetry on the Hill.
We are gathered here to mark the Library’s contributions, to recognize the Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Georgette LeBlanc, and to introduce the newly installed Poets Row.
The Library of Parliament is a constantly-evolving resource for us as Parliamentarians and for our staff, and acts as a repository for the history of Canadian democracy.
And while the Library houses extensive research publications, rare books, and parliamentary records, it is the dedicated employees of the Library who make this institution truly invaluable.
From research librarians to committee analysts, the staff of the Library support us and make us more effective as parliamentarians, to ensure that we can serve our country.
The Library is also the face of Parliament for Canadians: their guides welcome hundreds of thousands of people to Parliament Hill each year, interpreting our institutions for visitors from across the country and around the world.
The Library also provides valuable resources for teachers so they can bring Parliament to the classroom.
The Poet Laureate, an officer of the Library of Parliament, complements this work.
Aristotle said, “poetry tends to express the universal; history, the particular.”
While the Library of Parliament collects and documents facts and figures, debates and deliberations, papers and publications, the Poet Laureate captures the essence of our democratic work and the history and ideals of our country through their craft.
Their work gives voice to our common experiences, and the very existence of the position of Poet Laureate demonstrates the value of poetry to our nation.
I would encourage all Parliamentarians to celebrate and promote the excellent work of the Library of Parliament and the Poet Laureate, especially with the creation of Poets’ Row here in the Interim Main Library.
Madame LeBlanc, I wish to thank you for your service and for your contributions to furthering both Canadian and Acadian culture.
We parliamentarians look forward to continuing to be inspired by your words.
Thank you.