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The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada, delivered a lecture on “From Hong Kong to Hong Kong in 65 Years” today at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Madame Adrienne Clarkson spoke on Canada as it was when she arrived there as a child of three, and as it is now, using Hong Kong as her reflective base. Two hundred guests attended the lecture, including CUHK staff and students, and members from the local cultural community.

Born in Hong Kong in 1939, Madame Adrienne Clarkson went to Canada as a refugee in 1942. Served as Canada’s 26th Governor General from 1999 to 2005, Madame Clarkson was universally acknowledged to have transformed the post of Governor General of Canada. Her tenure as Governor General was remarkable for the considerable attention she brought to the courage and commitment of Canada’s Armed Forces. In the process, she increased Canadians’ vigilance to the country’s commitment to international peace and security. In March 2007, she became Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), the first Canadian to be Colonel-in-Chief of a Canadian regiment.

A leading figure in Canada’s cultural life, Madame Clarkson has had a rich and distinguished career in broadcasting, journalism, the arts and public service. She worked as host, writer and producer of several influential programs on CBC Television from 1965 to 1987. An eminent writer, she has authored four books and contributed numerous articles to major newspapers and magazines across Canada. She served as the first Agent-General for Ontario in Paris from 1982 to 1987, promoting Ontario’s business and cultural interests in France, Italy and Spain, and was President of McClelland and Stewart from 1987 to 1988. She also directed several films, and served as Chairwoman to the Board of Trustees for the Museum of Civilization in Hull, Québec, and as President of the Executive Board of the International Music Centre based in Vienna, Austria. Her work has been recognized with dozens of awards in Canada and the United States, including 21 honourary doctorates.

She actively promoted tolerance, acceptance, belonging and public responsibility in her work as Governor General and as a broadcaster, writer, diplomat and cultural champion. Madame Clarkson is proud to retain her new title “Grandmother of Many Nations”. Her official titles include membership in the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada (PC), Commander of the Order of Canada (CC), Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM), Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM) and the Canadian Forces Decoration (CD).

Since leaving the office of Governor General, Madame Clarkson has founded the Institute for Canadian citizenship (ICC) to help acculturate new Canadian citizens into mainstream Canadian life through various initiatives.