Bublé, Fox, Short receive governor general’s awards
In his first public appearance since his son went through cancer treatment, singer Michael Bublé got emotional as he accepted the National Arts Centre award, one of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards handed out at Rideau Hall on Wednesday.
“I stand here truly humbled that I’ve been allowed to be one of your musical representatives,” he said during a brief acceptance speech, “and you’ve chosen to bestow this honour on me during what has been an emotional and difficult time for my family.”
The 41-year-old British Columbia-born singer and his wife, Argentine actor Luisana Lopilato, put their careers on hold last fall to care for their three-year-old son, Noah, who was diagnosed with liver cancer. Word is the boy responded well to treatment, and the whole family is in Ottawa this week to celebrate the award, along with Bublé’s parents, sisters and manager, Bruce Allen.
Buble wasn’t the only celebrity to be honoured by Gov.- Gen. David Johnston in the 25th-anniversary edition of the awards. During the formal ceremony, actor Michael J. Fox summed up his life story during his acceptance speech, citing the Friendly Giant and Mr. Dressup as his earliest influences, while actor-comedian Martin Short went for the laughs. He couldn’t resist taking a good-natured shot at the American political climate.
“As someone who spends so much of his time in the United States, keep in mind we’re the only aliens they don’t deport,” Short said. “I can honestly say I’ve never met an American who wasn’t a tad bit envious of my passport, particularly in the last five months.”
Reasons he gave for that envy included multicultural harmony, universal health care and “sensible” gun control policies. “Oh, and we have Justin Trudeau,” he added, pausing for effect, “and they don’t.”
All of the laureates expressed pride in being Canadian. Bublé also shared his thoughts on what drives Canadian artists to create.
“My life is also inspired by how my country has made me feel, my Canada,” he said. (We are) a land of aboriginals, settlers, immigrants, (of) different colours, languages, religions, yet we share the same decent humanity, the same dreams, hopes and fears. This country has a way of making all of us feel completely distinct while in no way giving off an air of superiority. It’s given many artists in Canada the humility, strength and sensitivity to go out and share their creations with the rest of the world.”
A Governor General’s Performing Arts Award is considered one of the highest honours Canadian artists can achieve, recognizing a lifetime of artistic achievement. Other laureates on hand for the Rideau Hall ceremony included Jean Beaudin, the veteran Quebec film and television director, Brigitte Haentjens, artistic director of the NAC’s French-language theatre department, and Yves Sioui Durand, the founder of Quebec’s first French-language aboriginal theatre company. Winnipeg entrepreneur William H. Loewen was also among the laureates, picking up an award for his philanthropy. The Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for voluntarism in the performing arts pays tribute to Loewen’s support of the arts in Manitoba. During his speech, Loewen expressed support for aboriginal, First Nations and Métis communities. “We missed the huge contribution that was made to all of us by the aboriginal peoples,” he said. “It’s heartening to see that more attention is being given to that. Let’s encourage it.”
Another feature of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards is a mentor program designed to match past lifetime achievement winners with talented mid-career artists. This year’s mentor is the legendary ballet dancer Karen Kain, artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada, and her protégé is choreographer and dancer Robert Binet, who is the National Ballet Company’s choreographic associate.
The laureates will be honoured during a sold-out gala at the National Arts Centre, which will be livestreamed Thursday at 8 p.m. An hour-long condensed version of it airs Friday at 9 p.m. on television and online.