OTTAWA—The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) would like to thank the Government of Canada for its contribution in honour of The Right Honourable David Johnston, 28th Governor General of Canada (2010-2017).

The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, announced today a grant of $3 million and a commitment of up to $7 million in matching funds towards the RHF, a registered charity founded during the Johnston mandate and created to amplify and extend the reach of the Office of the Governor General, today and into the future. Created in 2012 as a response to His Excellency David Johnston’s vision for a smart and caring nation, the RHF has been supported for the past five years by donor philanthropy.

“We are tremendously grateful to the Government of Canada for this generous gift to the RHF in honour of His Excellency,” said RHF CEO and President Scott Haldane. “We’re delighted that we’ll be working with the Right Honourable David Johnston as Chair of the Rideau Hall Foundation Board of Directors for the next five years, to ensure continuity of his vision, and to better connect the Office of Governor General to Canadians.”

“This generous contribution from the federal government will help ensure the Rideau Hall Foundation is able to carry on its important work of encouraging Canadians from coast to coast to coast to collaborate and turn ideas into action, so that we can build our future together,” said Huguette Labelle, Vice-Chair of the RHF.

The RHF works closely with the Office of the Governor General to support its goals to connect, honour and inspire Canadians. Signature programs fall within four programmatic areas:

(1) Learning initiatives that strive for excellence and promote equality of educational opportunity;

(2) Investing in Canadian leaders with transformative potential;

(3) Widening the circle of giving and volunteering; and

(4) Strengthening Canada’s culture of innovation.

Offering a catalytic platform, the RHF works with a multitude of partners on initiatives that strengthen our national identity, build capacity and mobilize ideas, people, and resources. It serves as a new platform and charitable vehicle for Canadians to invest in the future of the country.

Current projects underway include the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program, aiming to increase rates of international education for Canadian students, and the recently announced learning partnership for Indigenous students, a collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation. The RHF is also the managing partner for the Arctic Inspiration Prize, and supports the Office of the Governor General in its capacity to leverage initiatives such as the Governor General’s Innovation Awards and the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.

It is customary for the federal government to thank the outgoing governor general for his or her work and contribution with a legacy gift. The contribution is traditionally used to support an initiative of importance to the outgoing governor general.

Learn more about the RHF at www.rhf-frh.ca, and follow us on Twitter @RideauHallFdn.

-30-

Further information :

Marie-France Belle-Isle
Rideau Hall Foundation
Marie-France.Belle-Isle@rhf-frh.ca
613 914-2737