Grégoire-Trudeau sings her own song
Offers tune she wrote for her daughter
OTTAWA • Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau broke into song Monday at a celebration of Martin Luther King Day at Ottawa’s City Hall, treating some 200 listeners to a soulful tune she wrote herself.
“And I know that good will prevails, and I could conquer the world with all the love that I feel when you smile back at me,” she sang.
“When you smile back at me, I see it from the corner of your eye, the day that we will say goodbye.
“But nothing will take away what’s between you and me when you smile back at me, when you smile back at me … “
Grégoire-Trudeau, married to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said she wrote the song for her daughter when her own life was at a low point.
It was already a musical celebration well before she stood up — an aboriginal elder, a drummer, a cantor, an imam and a Baptist taking turns — so Grégoire-Trudeau said she felt like joining in.
Before s he s ang, s he spoke. As the guest speaker at the ceremony, hosted by Ottawa community group DreamKeepers, she compared Canada to a huge fall of snow where every person, like every snowflake, is unique.
Despite the challenges and violence f acing t he world, people everywhere are becoming less tolerant of “macho” leaders who use violence and intimidation, she said.
A s eri es of s peakers, many of t hem religious, called for respect and tolerance of all groups in society. Many single out aboriginal Canadians as being in particular need of respect and recognition.
Dr. Anthony Bailey, the minister of Parkdale United Church, said he is sometimes asked why it’s still important to celebrate Martin Luther King’s work.
“We gather here to say, ‘ Yes, we give t hanks f or examples of this coming together, but we have a long way to go’, ” he said.
“And we are committed to the long journey, and your presence here is a statement that you are on the path and on the road.”
Dr. Zijad Del i c , the imam of the South Nepean Muslim Community, grew up in the former Yugoslavia and read about Martin Luther King as a young man.
“This place ( Canada) should be the dream of all,” he said. “Canada is beyond multicultural,” a place that millions of people want to come to because of its diversity.
Former prime minister Joe Clark, who received a lifetime achievement award from DreamKeepers, used the occasion to plead for acceptance of refugees. He said Canada has a strong t r adition of welcoming refugees from all over the world going back to the days of the Irish potato famine.
DreamKeepers is an Ottawa community group that promotes the vision of Martin Luther King Jr. It holds a ceremony each year at Ottawa City Hall.
I COULD CONQUER THE WORLD WITH ALL THE LOVE THAT I FEEL WHEN YOU SMILE AT ME.