Remarks by
The Honourable John Harvard, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
Festival du Voyageur
Governor's Ball
Fort Garry Hotel
Saturday February 12, 2005 - 7:00 p.m.
Modern day voyageurs, friends of Festival du Voyageur, fellow Manitobans: it's a treat to be here for
my first Festival du Voyageur at Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba.
Il nous fait plaisir, à mon épouse et moi-même, d'être parmi vous pour ce merveilleux bal.
This month, as it turns out, I'm visiting a number of communities in northern, western and southern
Manitoba to share in the celebration of community, tradition and a beautiful and sometimes under-appreciated season.
If I didn't already know this to be true, I would be learning this month that Manitobans are passionate
about their heritage. We celebrate the fur trade, the establishment of early fur trading communities peopled
by First Nations and Metis, French Canadians and Scots and Englishmen. And we love the mixing of cultures:
the food, the music, and the stories.
I'd also be learning, if I didn't already know it, that however much
we may complain about shoveling snow and scraping windshields, Manitobans
love winter. We love to slide and skate and ski and sculpt with snow and
even strap spikes on our boots and climb vertical towers of ice.
And if I didn't already know this to be true, events like Festival du Voyageur would be teaching me that
Manitobans love to come together as a community. We enjoy volunteering our time to make things happen and we
delight in rubbing shoulders with friends and neighbours in places like Whittier Park and the Festival Trading
Posts and last night's Grand Rendez-vous sur le Boulevard Provencher.
That spirit of celebration gives Manitoba the largest winter festival west of Quebec and most spirited
fur trade era party anywhere.
It's part of what makes Manitoba such a great place to live and a big part of why I am so proud to be
here as your Lieutenant Governor.
And so, ladies and gentlemen and voyageurs, have a wonderful celebration of your voyageur spirit.
Hé! Ho! Bon Festival!
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