Remarks by
The Honourable John Harvard, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
Manitoba Curling
Association Bonspiel
Pembina Curling Club, 1341 Pembina Highway
Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 5:00 p.m.
Members of the Manitoba Curling Association, curling volunteers and staff, skips and thirds, seconds and leads, welcome to an event that captures the essence of this province as few others. The Manitoba Curling Association Men’s Bonspiel captures many of the aspects of Manitoba that we all hold dear. As the world’s largest bonspiel and the springboard for many of the world’s greatest curling teams, this event shows how Manitoba is a province that can compete and succeed at the highest international levels. There’s no doubt in my mind that the winner of this year’s bonspiel will have what it takes to win the Manitoba Championship, the Brier and go on to win the World Championship. Such is the calibre of curling in Manitoba, a province with a long and proud history in the great roarin’ game. When I was a boy there were curling greats such as Ken Watson, Howard “Pappy” Wood and Ab Gowanlock from my hometown of Glenboro. Actually, Ab Gowanlock’s Glenboro rink won the Brier in 1938, the year I was born. He won it again in 1953 – that time out of Dauphin – but he and his Brier Winning Team came to Glenboro for an exhibition game and for a teenage boy in small-town Glenboro that was big stuff. I remember the great shot Billy Walsh made to win the ’56 Brier – and how excited the province was in 1965 when the young Terry Braunstein rink was Brier champion – or how about Don Duguid’s back to back Brier wins in 70 and 71. What a great and proud history. As an event that brings together nearly 500 teams from a great cross section of both elite and recreational curlers, this bonspiel illustrates the strength of community we have in Manitoba. All the curling clubs in Winnipeg, plus Stony Mountain, Selkirk, Stonewall, Springfield, Rosser and La Salle, work together to put on this bonspiel. That’s a demonstration of Manitoba as a community of communities The popularity of curling itself in Manitoba tells you something about this province. It was played long before artificial ice was available – some rinks in the old days could get pretty frosty – my toes can attest to that. It’s a sport that young and old, men and women can enjoy. It’s a sport of high drama and sharply honed skills, a great game on TV and it is the most sociable of sports. That should never be overlooked. Curlers play to win but their respect for their opponents and the game itself is paramount. I’m pleased to be here today as that long tradition continues with the opening of the 117th Annual Manitoba Curling Association Men’s Bonspiel. Good luck and have a wonderful event. But above all, keep your eye on the broom and watch your weight.
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