Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOLAR RECEPTION
Government House
Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 5:00 p.m.
(please check against delivery)
Students of life, citizens of the world, participants in and supporters of the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program, welcome to Government House and this celebration of learning and public service.
It’s a pleasure to welcome you to this historic landmark in the heart of Treaty One land, in the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and the Metis, in the capital of a province that is home to the Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples. As we work for healing, inclusion and reconciliation in Manitoba and across Canada, a commitment to learning and intercultural understanding will continue to be essential.
Throughout 2022, across Canada, we have been celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the longest reign in our history.
The theme of these celebrations has been the public service that Her Majesty spoke of throughout her life – especially during her many visits to Canada.
This event, recognizing ten remarkable years of the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program, is a wonderful way of honouring a long life dedicated to public service.
Participants in this program have learned new approaches in problem-solving, found grounds of common understanding that transcend language and culture, discovered the many different dimensions of international challenges related to climate change, human rights and global security.
They’ve made the world their classroom and their teacher and returned better able to lead our nation forward.
The Rideau Hall Foundation and Canadian universities and community foundations have worked together to provide scholarships for more than 2,000 students seeking a greater global understanding. So it’s especially gratifying to know that a gift of $20 million from the Government of Canada this fall will allow even more students to participate in years to come.
I’m sure each participant comes away from this experience with unique insights.
But I suspect that each of you, on returning home has also discovered a truth expressed by the poet T.S. Eliot:
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
I look forward to learning more about your life-changing experiences as Queen Elizabeth Scholars and to seeing how you apply your insights to make a better, more just, healthier and more prosperous Manitoba, Canada and world.
Thank you, Merci, Meegwich.