Citizenship Ceremony on Manitoba Day

May 10, 2013

NEW CANADIANS TAKE OATH AT SPECIAL CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE MANITOBA DAY

Manitoba welcomed 27 new Canadians from 13 different countries at a special citizenship ceremony today.
“As our newest Canadians, today marks a milestone in your lives,” said Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport) and Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia on behalf of Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. “This occasion provides us all the opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities, rights and benefits of living in this country and the high value our citizenship holds.”
“Manitoba is proud to be the place these families will now call home,” said Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Christine Melnick. “Our province continues to benefit from the many contributions of new Canadians who bring diversity and growth to our communities and economy.”
The minister presented a provincial welcome package to every new Canadian, which included information about Manitoba attractions, a unique Manitoba buffalo lapel pin and a commemorative photo. To reflect the diversity of their new home province, the ceremony featured entertainment by the Wolseley Choir, the Rising Sun Pow Wow Club from the Ma Mawi Chi Itata Centre and Thebahatizz, a vocal group of four sisters who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo and were refugees in Uganda for 10 years before coming to Winnipeg in 2012.
Today’s ceremony was held at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters in Winnipeg.  Along with other special guests, two dozen RCMP attended in full uniform.
“The RCMP is recognized worldwide as a symbol of Canada. We are proud to represent our country and uphold its respected reputation,” said Assistant Commissioner Kevin Brosseau, Commanding Officer of “D” Division. “It is a pleasure to be here today to welcome new Canadians to our community and our country.”
The citizens welcomed as Manitobans today came to Canada from Ethiopia, the United States of America, Chile, Philippines, Vietnam, Guatemala, Poland, Kuwait, Israel, Saudi Arabia, England, El Salvador and Jordan.
In 2012, 13,391 newcomers arrived in Manitoba, one of the largest numbers on record.  About 71 per cent arrived through the Provincial Nominee Program. Manitoba’s newcomers have immigrated from over 150 countries, speak over 148 languages and are living in more than 120 communities throughout the province.
The province and the federal government have partnered to hold citizenship ceremonies commemorating Manitoba Day since 2010.

Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux, along with Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport), Jody Hecht, President of the Winnipeg Harvest Board, and grade 4 students from the Lord Nelson Elementary School celebrated the official grand opening of Winnipeg Harvest’s newly upgraded facility

 

June 27, 2012

WINNIPEG HARVEST COMMUNITY FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND TRAINING CENTRE HOSTS BUILDING DEDICATION IN NEW EXPANDED SITE

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Larger Facility Will Better Serve Needs of Community

Winnipeg, Manitoba— The newly-expanded Winnipeg Harvest Community Food Distribution and Training Centre hosted a building dedication of its new facility today. The facility has been in operation since February 2011. Today’s dedication was for the hungry families Winnipeg Harvest feeds, the volunteer families who help other families feed themselves and future generations who will help eradicate poverty. Dignitaries were on hand from the federal and provincial governments to mark the re-opening of this non-profit organization that has been an important part of the community for over a quarter-century.
With renovations and expansion now complete, the Centre can better serve low-income families in Winnipeg and throughout Manitoba in need of food and seeking employment education and training opportunities.
“Our government was extremely proud to support the Winnipeg Harvest expansion,” said the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport). “For 27 years, Winnipeg Harvest has been there for families in need in the Winnipeg area and it can operate now in a facility more suitable to the needs of the community.”
The project involved the demolition of one of three attached buildings that made up the Winnipeg Harvest facility to make way for a new two-storey building.  This structure now accommodates an expanded distribution centre, new training centre and offices, a model urban garden, training kitchen to help low-income families acquire the skills to produce nutritious meals, and a vibrant gathering space. The renovations and expansion will increase warehouse space by 30 per cent and increase training facilities by half.
“The Province of Manitoba is very pleased to support this important expansion initiative.  Winnipeg Harvest will now have more room to store donated foods from generous Manitobans. The added space will also allow for expanded employment education and opportunities for training in food preparation that will benefit children and families,” said the Honourable Ron Lemieux, Minister of Local Government. “Manitoba is known for producing an abundance of healthy, local foods and famous for the generosity of our community members who are always willing to help individuals and families in need.”
“We are working towards cutting the need for food bank use by half by the end of the decade. Our report card indicates where we are in working towards that goal. This new building has provided the tools we need to offer better skills for job and life training, and better sharing of food throughout Manitoba. This is the foundation for reaching that goal and for a future without poverty in our province,’’ said David Northcott, Executive Director, Winnipeg Harvest. “Thank you to the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba through Infrastructure Program funding, to provide the tools we need to fight hunger and feed hope.”
The Governments of Canada and Manitoba each committed $1.66 million in funding under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund toward this project.  Winnipeg Harvest’s donors and supporters provided the balance of funding toward total eligible project costs of $5 million.
As part of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund supported more than 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country. Together, the federal government and Province of Manitoba committed close to $280 million to 111 projects under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund across Manitoba.
Over the course of the summer, the Government of Canada will be engaging provinces, territories and stakeholders in a series of roundtables to develop a new long-term infrastructure plan. This plan will focus on investments that support job creation and economic growth, while building strong, prosperous communities across the country. In addition, the Government of Canada will hold a roundtable with national stakeholders and representatives of the private sector at the end of the summer. Working together to develop this plan will provide new opportunities for all orders of government and the private sector to build partnerships to improve public infrastructure in Canada.
For further information on Infrastructure Canada's projects in Manitoba, visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/. To learn more about Manitoba’s infrastructure projects, visit www.infrastructure.mb.ca/.

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The Province of Manitoba is distributing this release on behalf of the governments of Canada and Manitoba, and Winnipeg Harvest.