On Monday, among her many other commitments in Whitehorse, Governor General Michaelle Jean held a roundtable discussion with local artists at the Yukon Arts Centre.
The Governor General and her husband, filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, showed genuine interest in and understanding of the importance of art to the territory.
This was their 18th and final such meeting with arts communities across Canada, and now they will begin synthesizing the input they graciously encouraged.
They will champion our artists’ concerns in Ottawa.
Of particular note in this local meeting was the presence of another attentive guest —Premier Dennis Fentie.
Fentie was the only Canadian premier to attend such a meeting.
Their excellencies were impressed.
So were we.
From the intelligent questions he asked, and the perceptive comments he made, it was obvious that the premier continues what has become a Yukon governmental tradition that cuts across party lines: he understands the importance of arts workers to our sense of ourselves as Canadians and northerners, as well as to our economy. (EFB)