Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
15th ANNUAL CELEBRATING WOMEN’S GALA – PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN OF MANITOBA
Viscount Gort Hotel
Tuesday, July 9, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
(please check against delivery)
Members and friends of the Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba – thank you for the opportunity to join you in celebrating the achievements of women and an organization that has represented women in Manitoba for 75 years.
I acknowledge and honour that we come together today Treaty one territory and that Manitoba is located on the treaty territories and ancestral and present-day lands of the Anishinaabe, Anishininew (ANISH-IN-INEW), Cree, Dakota, Dene, Nehetho (NE-HET-HO) Nation, Inuit and Red River Metis.
As Manitobans, we respect the spirit and intent of the treaties and remain committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Metis and Inuit people to hear truths and seek reconciliation and collaboration.
As Lieutenant Governor, I have the good fortune to meet Manitobans from all walks of life who have dedicated themselves to improving life in our province. These advocates, activists and volunteers work to enhance health and education, justice and equality, culture and quality of life.And many of them are women and work with the affiliate organizations of the Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba, and I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from a number of them.
Since the establishment of this organization 75 years ago, women have moved our province forward in all areas of social and material progress.
And so this fabulous event, during a milestone year for the council, provides us with the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate women who work in countless ways – in their communities, in their workplaces, in the limelight and behind the scenes – to make the province and the nation we love better for everyone.
The individuals and organizations being honored really are exceptional leaders in our community, and I applaud each and every one of you.
To my good friend Mary Scott – tonight’s Lifetime Achievement recipient – your passion and purpose, and advocacy for social justice and women’s equality in Canada and throughout the world – is an inspiration to us all.
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of joining the Council of Women of Winnipeg for an anniversary celebration – so it’s especially gratifying to see both the Manitoba and Winnipeg councils represented at this gala.
From the earliest days of the women’s suffrage movement to today, women have known that linking arms and raising voices together is the best way of making positive changes.
The challenges of the present and future – from climate change to housing shortages to the opiate crisis – continue to require alliances and partnerships. And it will undoubtedly be women who will increasingly take the lead in advocating for solutions to these and other urgent issues.
To all who have worked with Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba and its member organizations, thank you for being role models to women of all ages, for exemplifying the power of collective action and for planting the seeds of hope in this province’s fertile soil.
Thank you. Merci. Meegwich and Shalom