Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
30th ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION, WOMEN OF NOTE
Canadian Mennonite University
Saturday, May 11, 2024, 4:00 p.m.
(please check against delivery)
Supporters of what is a treasured musical institution, welcome to this celebration of thirty years of Women of Note.
It is a pleasure to join you here in the heart of Treaty One land and the heartland of the Red River Metis to celebrate an institution that brings many voices together.
Here, in a province that is the ancestral and present-day home of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Dakota, Dene, Inuit and Metis peoples, we are committed to hearing and celebrating all voices. Together, we can foster greater harmony, advance healing and reconciliation and build a better province for everybody.
Manitobans are justifiably proud of our rich culture. We celebrate the diversity and achievements of Manitobans in all art forms – in music and dance, theatre and film, visual arts and literature.
That rich cultural tradition does not just happen by accident.
It comes about because of the passion, creativity and hard work of individuals who build and sustain cultural organizations in our province.
And so today, as we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the founding of Women of Note, we are also acknowledging and celebrating the work of the founder and artistic director, Patricia Rabson.
All that Women of Note has accomplished – premieres of exciting new work, development of an eclectic repertoire for women of varying levels of experience, community outreach performances in places like palliative care settings – was made possible by the commitment to create this Sisterhood in Song.
All of the audiences that have been elevated and inspired by the beauty of the human voice and all of the more than 400 women who have been part of Women of Note have benefited from Patricia Rabson’s passion for music.
Patricia, thank you for your part in making our province the place of culture we know and love. And to all who support Women of Note and who raise their voices in song, congratulations on this milestone anniversary.
May you keep bringing music to Manitobans for many years to come.
Thank you. Merci. Meegwich. Shalom
