John Ralston Saul's Inaugural Keynote Address at the 2015 President Investiture Ceremony | Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

John Ralston Saul's Inaugural Keynote Address at the 2015 President Investiture Ceremony

About 130 Canadian and international guests attended the ceremony at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, which featured a keynote address by John Ralston Saul, Canadian author, essayist and  president of PEN International.

Mr. Saul spoke of the need for architects and engineers to work for the improvement of First Nations communities in Canada.

“While there are wonderful aboriginal architects and wonderful buildings within aboriginal communities, in general, the architectural and engineering communities have abandoned the indigenous communities,” said Mr. Saul. “They have been treated, at best, as mining camp sites.

“One of the most important things the architectural community should be doing today is turning its mind to this abandonment of one of the three standing pillars of the country,” he said.

Wilfred Laurier Monument (2:08)
Photo: D. Gordon E. Robertson / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

National War Memorial (2:42)
Photo: D. Gordon E. Robertson / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

War of 1812 Monument (4:05)
Triumph Through Diversity /Sculptor: Adrienne Alison / Photo courtesy of Artcast Inc.

Oslo City Hall Coatroom (9:22)

 

Photos: Alexandra Bråten/Rådhusets forvaltningstjeneste

Chaudière Falls and Islands (11:17)
Photo: Shanta (flickr) / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Attawapiskat Housing Crisis (20:42)
Photo courtesy of Charlie Angus, MP Timmins - James Bay

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