Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
CONSULAR CORPS DINNER
Government House
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Friends, fellow Manitobans, I am delighted to welcome you to Government House, here in the heart of Treaty One land, home of the Anishinaabe and the Red River Metis people, in the capital of a province that is home to the Cree, Dakota and Dene people.
Here and throughout Manitoba, we are working to advance understanding, healing and reconciliation and build a better home for all.
As Manitobans, we have the good fortune to live in the province where the idea of multiculturalism truly took root.
This is a province that joined Confederation through the effort of Louis Riel and the Red River Metis to preserve their rights.
Here is where large-scale, non-English-speaking immigration began to transform Canada in the late 19th century.
And though it may have taken generations to move attitudes from “grudging acceptance” to “celebration,” in time this became a province that celebrated its centennial with Canada’s first, largest and longest-running multicultural festival.
Today, Canadians know that a diverse society is a more vibrant and healthier society. And they know as well that it’s a more prosperous one, as a result of trade opportunities and unleashed human creativity.
One exciting sign of the diversity of our province – and the exciting opportunities that brings – is the growth in Winnipeg’s consular corps.
Looking at the list of countries you represent, we can see Manitoba’s history of immigration.
We can see our province’s major trading partners and future trading opportunities.
We can see the birthplaces of myriad influences that have enriched our music, art, cuisine and ideas about life itself.
I thank you for the work you do in building a more interconnected world – and a more worldly Manitoba. Enjoy this dinner and the excellent company of your colleagues in international friendship.
Thank you. Merci. Miigwech
