MOSAIC was delighted to host Their Excellencies, David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnson at its headquarters on September 30th. After being greeted by a welcome committee of clients and their children, Their Excellencies participated in a roundtable discussion about a variety of topics pertaining to Canadian immigration, the global refugee crisis, and newcomer challenges.
The Governor General noted that “It’s very important for immigrants to learn as quickly as possible one of our two official languages so that they’re employable, and it’s heartening to see the kind of work that’s being done here at MOSAIC to deal with exactly that.”
The 21 participants included community leaders, MOSAIC partners, clients and volunteers as well as MOSAIC executives and board members.
A reception followed, attended by staff and invited guests. His Excellency was gifted with a collection of poems, written by language students about their early impressions of Canada.
Eyob Naizghi, Executive Director for MOSAIC, said “It was a great day for MOSAIC as we welcomed Their Excellencies to our main office site. The roundtable discussion went very well and the Governor General made everyone at ease from the get-go –it was a very humbling experience to see Their Excellencies are interested in everyone’s story. It was also a great honour to host a great mix of leaders from the community, government, employers, youth, seniors, diverse service providers and clients at the roundtable. The event was successful, and they were very touched by the stories that were shared.”
David Johnston is the second governor general to visit MOSAIC, following Michaelle Jean’s visit to the organization during its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2006.
