Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
THRIVE WINNIPEG’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Government House
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
(please check against delivery)
Fellow Manitobans, members of a circle of care and empathy and understanding, welcome to Government House this celebration of a half-century of service.
As Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, I am pleased to acknowledge first that we are gathered on Treaty 1 land and in the heartland of the Red River Metis and that our province is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe, Anishininew (ANISH-IN-INEW), Cree, Dakota, Dene, the Nehetho (NE-HET-HO) Nation and the homeland of the Red River Métis.
As well, Manitoba 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.
The province and country we all wish to build is not something that can be imposed by a small group of officials and experts – whether they come from the government, non-profit entities, the professions or business.
A better Manitoba and a better Canada will be built by communities working together, practising inclusion and sensitive to the ideas, challenges and lived experiences of others.
In short, it will be built by the same kind of spirit that has seen Thrive Winnipeg help thousands of families better their lives since 1973.
It says a lot about any community organization that it has not just survived but grown and diversified for fifty years.
For that to happen, there must be a powerful vision that has attracted generations of supporters, leaders and team members. And there must be a commitment to evolve with the times, listen to the community and develop new ideas and programs to meet new needs.
Clearly that has been the case with Thrive Winnipeg. The long list of services provided by Thrive clearly shows that this is an organization that listens to and serves the community.
And the fact that you are now in the midst of raising funds for a new, larger, more accessible and more private facility shows that the need for Thrive Winnipeg has grown.
The stories told by participants at Thrive demonstrate the many ways this organization has helped families and individuals to meet their needs – whether physical, education, emotional or social.
And it’s clear that in the next half century, Thrive will continue to provide that same care and support to many more Winnipeggers.
Congratulations on this milestone anniversary and thank you to all who have made this possible.
Thank you. Merci. Meegwich. Shalom