February 25 was a special day in Eston, Sask. The lieutenant-governor and his wife came to visit, at the invitation of our Board of Trade.
At our school, they attended an assembly at which the lieutenant governor spoke to the students about following their dreams, telling them that they are the hope for the future, for Saskatchewan, for Canada “for all of us.”
Following the assembly, he spoke to the Grade 12 social studies class, while his wife toured a number of classrooms. Then, it was on to the senior citizens’ home where they talked for some time with the residents.
Read Also
Late season rainfall creates concern about Prairie crop quality
Praying for rain is being replaced with the hope that rain can stop for harvest. Rainfall in July and early August has been much greater than normal.
They had a few minutes for coffee and refreshments with the staff before their third stop, at our newest business, Canadian Select Grains Ltd., which grows and markets specialty crops.
After a short rest period, it was on to the Board of Trade dinner.
At the school assembly and again at the dinner, formality was the order of the day.
The vice-regal party was led in by a Mountie in red serge, people stood, the vice-regal salute was played by members of the school band.
At the school, there had been a rehearsal of the entire proceeding.
At the dinner, when the vice-regal couple retired prior to their formal entrance, those attending were briefed on the protocol for the entrance and the salute.
Some people felt that such protocol is out of place in this day and age. Others felt that the day’s speeches were simply platitudes with no substance.
To deal with the latter first, the lieutenant governor, because of his position as the Queen’s representative, cannot be controversial, cannot comment on the political events of the day.
Being above politics, however, his remarks carry a certain weight.
When a politician talks about the spirit and soul of the province, there is a certain spin on those words, intentional or not.
When the lieutenant governor speaks them, that spin is not there. The words are from the heart and go to the heart.
As to whether the protocol is out of place, I don’t think so.
The lieutenant governor is the representative of the Queen in the province, something that was not lost on the school children.
One little girl is supposed to have told her mother, “the Queen couldn’t come to see us, so she sent this other guy.”
She had the right idea.
