Message From Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, on the Death of Master Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud

Master Corporal Michaud, of the 2nd Batallion, Royal 22e Regiment, based in Valcartier (Que.), was transferred to a hospital in the City of Quebec on June 28, after having sustained serious injuries in the explosion of an improvised explosive device, hidden by Talibans insurgents, while conducting foot patrol on June 23.

Attacks in Afghanistan are constant and merciless. Our patrolling soldiers and those assigned to demining the country are acutely aware of this and yet go meet danger face to face every day. Their courage knows no limit; they are totally focused on finding and neutralizing as many of the deadly devices as possible, on insuring the security of the area, on protecting civilians as much as is humanly possible. That is their first and foremost mission.

Master Corporal Michaud is one of the courageous, and without a doubt, generous soldier whose sense of duty and ability to keep going despite all adversity command our admiration for the women and men serving in the Canadian Forces. We imagine today the deep sadness of his parents, his family, loved ones and friends who greeted him upon his arrival, surrounding him with affection, sustaining day after day their collective hope that he would recover from his injuries. We send them our most sincere condolences.

Our thoughts also go to his peers who have lost another one of their comrades-in-arms.

Michaelle Jean