Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
WINNIPEG POLICE SERVICE GRADUATION
RBC Convention Centre
Wednesday, May 17, 2024, 1:00 p.m.
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Helpers, protectors, members new and old of the Winnipeg Police Service.
It’s a pleasure to join you today as members of Recruit Class 169 begin their careers with the Winnipeg Police Service.
As you take that important step, we recognize that the city you serve is in the heart of Treaty One land and the homeland of the Red River Metis and is the capital of a province that is the ancestral and present-day home of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Dakota, Dene, Inuit and Red River Metis peoples.
Spring is a time of year for celebrations of learning. In the next few weeks, I’ll be attending college and university graduations, as well as watching my own grandson walk across the stage at his high school graduation.
I imagine some of you will crowd into a gym or auditorium this spring to cheer on a family member graduating from anything from kindergarten to university.
At many of these celebrations, a key theme is that learning continues after the formal studies end.
I’m sure that goes double for new members of the Winnipeg Police Service.
You’ve learned a great deal in your 22 weeks in the classroom and 16 weeks of field training.
And now as you serve the people of this city and fulfill the oath you have taken, you will learn from your new colleagues, from the people you encounter, from every interaction – positive, negative or just plain strange.
The career path you’ve chosen demands integrity and professionalism, courage and compassion. And it requires the kind of judgement and level head that come with learning from experience.
As Lieutenant Governor, I thank you for your decision to apply these valuable personal attributes in the service of your fellow Winnipeggers and Manitobans.
May you wear your uniform with pride and may you find, throughout your careers, satisfaction in an important job done to the best of your ability.
Thank you. Merci. Meegwich. Shalom.