Remarks by
The Honourable John Harvard, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
Festival du Voyageur
Opening Ceremony
Old St. Boniface City Hall
Friday, February 11, 2005 - 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Manitobans, lovers and supporters of Festival du Voyageur, it’s a delight to be here for this
great street party to kick off a great festival.
Bienvenue aux cérémonies d’ouverture du Festival du Voyageur.
What a wonderful way to launch this festival. For 36 years, Festival du Voyageur has been this province’s
best way of warming up winter and a great living history lesson that transports visitors back to the days
of the Voyageurs and the Northwest Company.
But Festival du Voyageur is more than a way of experiencing fur trade history or enjoying winter fun and
games. At its heart, this festival celebrates the strength of Manitoba's communities.
So it’s great to see the festival here in the heart of the community on Provencher Boulevard.
Manitobans from all walks of life – as well as visitors from other countries
– enjoy discovering the deep roots of Manitoba's Francophone community.
Festival du Voyageur also recreates the multicultural fur trade community
of French Canadians, First Nations, Metis and Scots, whose traditions
come to life at Fort Gibraltar and the many Festival Trading Posts.
It’s a delight to see families and friends enjoying those traditions and creating some new ones.
And one of those traditions is the famous Festival spirit that has brought the largest winter festival
in Western Canada to the central boulevard of the Francophone capital of the West.
Hé! Ho! Bon festival!
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