A Message of Thanks

My message of thanks at the Convocation Dinner of the University of Winnipeg, which was held at the Winnipeg Art Gallery – Qaumajuq on Monday, June 19, 2023:

We have so much to be thankful for this evening as we gather for dinner in the midst of the 122nd Convocation of the University of Winnipeg. Varied paths through life have led us here, weaving together different vocations and diverse experiences, and yielding an almost unimaginable bounty for our common table.

We give thanks for wise teachers and earnest students, for the privilege of living in a society which values education and the examined life. We give thanks for the efforts of those who established the founding colleges of the university, and for the faithful stewards who kept them strong and transformed them into an eminent university. We acknowledge the First Peoples upon whose land our campus stands, knowing that the quest for Truth is our lesson and Reconciliation is our aspiration. We pay tribute to those who have distinguished themselves by their accomplishments and we honour all who have lived their lives in humble but meaningful ways.

We give thanks in particular for our honorary degree and fellowship recipients, those receiving faculty and staff awards, and our distinguished alumnus. They have all made a profound difference for the better in a world that has benefited from their wisdom and experience, leadership and devotion. The excellence they have modelled is something to which we all aspire

As we gather amidst this bounty, let us remember that we live in a world that is far from equal and often embroiled in conflict, where the want of many stands in sharp contrast to others’ privilege. May we resolve to take the lessons we have learned, distilled through experience into wisdom, and apply them to the needs of the Earth that is our home.

Finally, we give thanks for the food we are about to enjoy and the pleasant company we expect to share throughout the evening. We are truly blessed, and for all this we are abidingly grateful.

The University of Winnipeg – 122nd Convocation