MONTREAL, April 9, 2015 – The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation is
pleased to announce this year’s recipients of Canada’s highest and most prestigious performing
arts awards.

The 2015 laureates of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) for Lifetime
Artistic Achievement are:

• Walter Boudreau, C.M.
Composer, conductor and artistic director

• Atom Egoyan, O.C.
Film and stage director, visual artist and screenwriter

• Diana Leblanc
Actress and director

• Sarah McLachlan, O.C.
Singer, songwriter, musician and humanitarian

• R.H. Thomson, C.M.
Actor, director, producer and arts advocate

The Lifetime Artistic Achievement Awards are accompanied by two complementary awards.
The Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts will be given this
year to Michael M. Koerner, C.M., while filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée will receive the National
Arts Centre Award, which recognizes exceptional achievement over the past performance year.

The 2015 laureates were announced today at events held in Montreal, Victoria, Vancouver and
Toronto and via live stream.

“We are thrilled to honour and celebrate each of these exceptionally talented Canadians who
have made an indelible contribution to the Canadian imagination,” said Douglas Knight, Chair of
the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation (GGPAAF).

Added Paul-André Fortier, Co-chair of the Foundation, “These prestigious awards continue to
demonstrate the extraordinary pool of artistic talent in this country, as well as the extent to
which the performing arts are truly part of who we are as Canadians.”

“Audiences across the country and around the world recognize the brilliance of Canada’s
performing artists,” said His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General
of Canada. “I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize the efforts of some of Canada’s
leading performers, arts professionals and volunteers, and to reflect on the role of creativity and
artistic expression in our lives.”

"The Canada Council is proud to fund, and partner with the Governor General's Performing Arts
Awards,” said Simon Brault, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts. “The public
celebration of our artists' accomplishments is a wonderful reminder of the value and the
importance of the arts for us all!”

In addition to honouring the 2015 laureates, the Awards feature a unique Mentorship Program,
a partnership inaugurated in 2008 between the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards
Foundation, Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) and The Keg Spirit Foundation. Designed to
unite past Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award recipients and talented mid-career artists, the
program serves as a creative catalyst and as an investment in future Canadian artistic
achievement. This program is a unique opportunity for the potential laureates of tomorrow to
benefit from the creativity and experience of icons who have blazed the trail before them. This
year’s mentor is Howard Shore, internationally renowned Canadian composer and conductor
and 2011 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award recipient, and the protégée is
Montreal-based composer Nicole Lizée.

The 2015 laureates will be honoured at various events in Ottawa in May, culminating in the
Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala presented by Enbridge at the National Arts
Centre on Saturday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m.

“Our investment in arts and arts organizations is tied to our commitment of providing the energy we need to foster strong communities and quality of life,” said D’Arcy Levesque, Enbridge’s Vice President, Enterprise Communications and Corporate
Social Responsibility. “It is our privilege to share in the celebrations of such inspiring and talented
individuals and we applaud their decades of contributions to the Canadian cultural landscape. On
behalf of Enbridge and our over 11,000 employees, I’d like to offer our congratulations to each of
this year’s laureates.”

The gala, produced by the National Arts Centre, will feature superb performances, evocative
short films about the Award laureates (created by the National Film Board of Canada), and
personal tributes by guest stars.

“The National Film Board of Canada is honoured to be working with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards once again this year. For the NFB, this partnership is a rare opportunity to pursue some of our great passions: our love of Canadian arts
and our commitment to showcasing this country’s achievements,” said Claude Joli-Coeur,
Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada. “To
create these signature films, we’ve worked with accomplished directors, who in turn draw
inspiration from our laureates to create unique audiovisual works. I believe this is the best
tribute we can offer these distinguished individuals―to celebrate them and their achievements
in lasting works of cinematic art. I hope everyone enjoys watching these films as much as we
enjoyed making them.”

Media are invited to attend the gala red carpet event on May 30 as of 6:30 p.m. Tickets
for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala go on sale to the public on
April 9 at 10 a.m. at the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 or
http://www.ticketmaster.ca.

Created in 1992 under the distinguished patronage of the late Right Honourable
Ramon John Hnatyshyn, then Governor General of Canada, these prestigious awards are
presented annually to Canadians whose accomplishments have inspired and enriched the
cultural life of our country. Nominations for these highly acclaimed awards are submitted by
members of the public to recognize artists who have made a lifetime commitment and
contribution to the performing arts in Canada.

2015 GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARD PARTNERS

National Arts Centre
The Awards continue to benefit from the significant partnership with Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC). Dedicated to achieving the highest presence for the Awards, the NAC is responsible for the production of the annual Gala performance, as well as the event’s fundraising and marketing activities. The NAC’s in-house expertise significantly enhances the profile of the Awards and their distinguished recipients.

National Film Board of Canada
Once again this year the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), an important creative concept partner of the Awards since 2008, will bring together some of Canada’s most talented filmmakers to create unforgettable short films that capture the essence of each Award laureate. The films will be premiered at the May 30 Gala and will be available free of charge at the NFB’s Online Screening Room at http://www.NFB.ca and through the NFB’s apps for iPhone and iPad, as of 10 p.m. (EDT) on May 30.

Department of Canadian Heritage
As a supporter of the Awards since their creation in 1992, the Department of Canadian Heritage is proud to celebrate and promote Canada’s performing artists at home and on the international stage.

Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts generously provides the prize money for the Lifetime Artistic Achievement Awards. In addition, the Council offers expertise in the management of the programs, particularly of the jury and nominations component, as well as an important presence on the Board and committees. The Council’s valuable input and support have been instrumental in the development and continued growth of the Awards.

Enbridge
The GGPAAF gratefully acknowledges Enbridge as Presenting Sponsor of the GGPAA Gala and sponsor of the press announcement event. Enbridge, a Canadian Company, is a North American leader in delivering energy and has been included on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World ranking for the past seven years. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the United States, the World's longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering, transmission and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada's largest natural gas distribution company and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. As a generator of energy, Enbridge has interests in more than 2,200 MW (1,600 MW net) of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity and is expanding its interests in wind, solar and geothermal facilities. Enbridge employs more than 11,000 people, primarily in Canada and the United States and is ranked as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2015. Enbridge's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit http://www.enbridge.com

Thank you
The GGPAA Gala is made possible in part by its many sponsors. In particular, the National Arts Centre Foundation would like to thank the following supporters and sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor:
Enbridge

Associate Sponsors:
Boston Pizza
Cineplex Media
Rogers Communications

Dinner Sponsor:
Manulife

Inspiration Seats:
McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited

Mentorship Program:
The Keg Spirit Foundation

National Partners:
Aimia
NATIONAL Public Relations
Power Corporation of Canada
United Technologies
VIA Rail Canada

Accessories Sponsor:
Birks

Print Sponsor:
The Printing House Ltd.

Regional Partners:
Group Germain Hotels
The Ledcor Group
Mark Motors Porsche
NBC Universal Canada
Norton Rose Fulbright
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Quebecor Inc.
Scotiabank
Shangri-La Hotels
TAXI
The Keg Steakhouse + Bar
WIND Mobile
Susan Glass, C.M., and Arni Thorsteinson
The Jackman Family
The Pearl Family

Table Patrons:
Trinity Development Group
Gail Asper O.C., O.M. and Michael Paterson
Kimberly Bozak and Philip Deck
John and Bonnie Buhler
Amoryn Engel and Kevin Warn-Schindel
Margaret and Jim Fleck
Donald K. Johnson and Anna McCowan Johnson
Jon and Nancy Love

Supporters:
ecentricarts
Gowlings
Llama Communications
Royal Canadian Mint
The Westin Ottawa

Media Partners:
The Globe and Mail (National Media Partner)
The Hill Times and Embassy Newspapers
La Presse+
LeDroit
Ottawa Citizen
PATTISON Outdoor Advertising

Supporters and Sponsors list confirmed as of March 19, 2015

2015 GGPAA National Committee
Honorary Chair
Suzanne Rogers

Co-Chairs
Kate Alexander Daniels, Salah Bachir

Past Chairs
Susan Glass, C.M., and Arni Thorsteinson

Jeronimo De Miguel
François Dell'Aniello
Yves Desjardins-Siciliano
Arlene Dickinson
Rupert Duchesne
Richard Ellis
Margaret Fountain
Gabe Gonda and Victoria Webster
Peter A. Herrndorf, O.C.
Victoria Jackman
Steve Kane
T. Gregory Kane, QC
Douglas Knight
Liza Mrak
Jessica Mulroney
Jim and Sandi Treliving
Bob and Barb Walker
Jayne Watson

Join us on Twitter and Facebook!
GGPAA: @GovGPAA | @PrixGGAS | facebook.com/ggawards.prixgg |#GGawards
ARTS NATION: @ARTS_NATION| @NATIONENART | facebook.com/artsnation.nationenart |
#artsnation

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For more information or to arrange an interview with a 2015 recipient, please contact:

Western Canada & the Prairies:
Mallory McCredie
403-531-0331 ext. 253
mmccredie@national.ca

Ontario:
Lauren Poplak
416-848-1378
lpoplak@national.ca

Quebec and the Maritimes:
Camille Delacour
514-843-2388
cdelacour@national.ca