Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
ST. JOHN AMBULANCE INVESTITURE AND AWARDS CEREMONY
Government House
Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 5:00 p.m.
(please check against delivery)
Members and friends of a great organization, welcome to this celebration of dedication to the health and safety of others.
As Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, and Vice-Prior for St. John Council in Manitoba, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Government House – a landmark in the heart of Treaty One land and the heartland of the Red River Metis for 140 years. This building, like the Legislative Building next door, is a symbol of a province that is the ancestral and present-day home for Anishinaabe, Cree, Dakota, Dene, Inuit and Metis peoples.
Together we must commit to learning and listening, to advancing understanding, opportunity and healing and to a build a just and fair province for all its people.
The St. John Ambulance has been a Canadian symbol of caring and dedication for nearly as long as there has been a country called Canada.
Since the first chapter was founded in Canada in 1883, countless Canadians have learned to give first aid and have supported the St. John Ambulance’s other programs.
Those trained first aid providers have become a fixture at events and special gatherings across our country – helping to ensure the safety of their fellow Canadians.
That spirit of concern for the well-being of others is the essence of a healthy society. Looking out for one another is the glue that holds a village or a nation together.
The individuals receiving Life Saving Awards today, whether or not they have taken first aid training or been involved with the St, John Ambulance, represent the same spirit of concern for others that animates this great organization.
Though every life-saving encounter is unique and involves its own challenges, in each of the stories of these award recipients there’s a common theme. Somebody has been in distress and danger and somebody else has made the decision to get involved.
Deciding to get involved is the building block for everything of value in society. Each of us, if we want a better world, can step forward to contribute in some way. Indeed, that’s the only way we’ll get that better world.
One way to make that contribution is to strengthen and lead this great organization. The Order of St. John recognizes those who have contributed substantially to an entity that works for the health and emergency preparedness of Canadians.
I am so proud to have the opportunity to recognize some outstanding Manitobans today, and honoured to be able to present the Vice Prior Award to my predecessor, The Honourable Janice C. Filmon. Congratulations to you all, and thank you for the contributions you have made and the example you are setting for your fellow Manitobans.
And to the St. John Ambulance, thank you for the incredible work you do throughout the world and for bringing us together today to celebrate dedication to community.
Thank you. Merci. Meegwich.