Manitoba Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba

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

Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Opening Ceremony

Remarks by

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

Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba

ROYAL MANITOBA WINTER FAIR OPENING CEREMONY

Keystone Centre, Brandon

Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 6:30 p.m.

(please check against delivery)

 

Fellow Manitobans, I am delighted for the opportunity to visit beautiful Brandon and share in this wonderful tradition.

I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on Treaty Two land, home of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Dakota and Red River Metis people, a beautiful part of a province that is also home to the Dene and Inuit people.

We acknowledge northern Manitoba includes lands that were, and are, the ancestral lands of the Inuit.

Here and throughout Manitoba, we are working to advance understanding, healing and reconciliation and build a better home for all.

As one of Manitoba’s largest industries, agriculture has been fueling Manitobans’ efforts to build a better future for generations, and for nearly 120 years, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair has supported that effort by bringing people together, celebrating achievements and fostering innovation.

Of course, this fair has always had another mission: building community, spreading joy and celebrating the arrival of spring.

Tonight, you’ve come to see the beauty and skill of horses and riders, the energy and showmanship of canine all-stars, and the majesty of birds of prey, but it is also the opportunity to greet old and new friends and feel the warmth and excitement of a great community that draws 120,000 people to this fair.

As Honorary Patron of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, I would like to thank all of the volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors, performers and staff who make this possible, and all those whose enthusiastic presence makes this such a highlight. Your work and support, and this fair’s importance to Manitoba, are the reason it is one of only two fairs in Canada to have the Royal designation.

Enjoy tonight’s show and everything the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair has to offer.

Thank you. Merci. Meegwich.