Manitoba Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba

The Honourable Anita R. Neville, P.C., O.M.

Institute for Public Administration Canada National Conference

Remarks by

The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.

Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba

INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTATION CANADA NATIONAL CONFERENCE

RBC Convention Centre

Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 5:00 p.m.

(please check against delivery)

 

Fellow Canadians, professionals in service to our country and its people, welcome to this national conference of the Institute for Public Administration of Canada.

As Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, I am pleased to welcome you to Treaty 1 territory. This city at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers is the capital of a province that is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe, Anishininew (ANISH-IN-INEW), Cree, Dakota, Dene and Nehetho (NE-HET-HO) Nation and the homeland of the Red River Métis and includes northern lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit.

As Manitobans, we respect the spirit and intent of treaties and treaty making and remain committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Metis and Inuit people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and collaboration.

As leaders in Canada’s public sector, each of you will have a part to play in ensuring that our country builds a future of opportunity, justice and equity for all.

Effectiveness in all levels of government and throughout the health care, educational and not-for-profit sectors requires dedicated professionals who are committed to continuous learning and adaptation to ever-changing needs.

And so I hope that this national conference gives each of you the opportunity to make important contacts, discover new ideas and keep up with new challenges in your field.

Each year, as Lieutenant Governor, I have the privilege to present the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration – in co-operation with IPAC Manitoba.

As a result, I know something of the depth of talent we have in the public sector in this province.

And from my previous work in Parliament, I know as well that there are many dedicated professionals in the federal public service and in every province and territory working to address the present and future needs of Canadians.

So I am especially delighted that I will have the opportunity to present this year’s Vanier Award on behalf of the Governor General to an individual who has served at the highest levels of municipal, provincial and federal public administration for 35 years.

You will hear more shortly about Peter Wallace – who has served as city manager of Toronto, head of the public service of Ontario and secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada. With such a remarkable record of public service, he is an example to everybody in the public sector who is committed to good governance.

The issues you will be discussing at this conference – such as housing, artificial intelligence, Indigenous health and treaties and the changing nature of work – affect every level of government and the larger public sector. Ensuring effectiveness in the policies and programs addressing these and other issues requires that we have professionals in administrative capacities who have thought hard and deeply about these matters.

And most of all, progress in all areas in Canada requires women and men who care about doing an important job well and serving their fellow Canadians.

Thank you for your commitment to your fellow Canadians and your desire to listen and learn at this conference. And thank you to all of those at the Institute of Public Administration of Canada for making this learning experience in Winnipeg possible.

Thank you. Merci. Meegwich. Shalom