Jean Giguere, former chair and chair emeritus of the RWB, was in Ottawa recently to attend the Governor General’s performing arts awards. Jean is a member of the Order of Canada. She was thrilled to learn that another Winnipegger was awarded the Ray Hnatyshyn award for volunteerism. She is Michelle Smith from St. Boniface, a huge fundraiser especially for the Theatre Cercle Moliere, Canada’s oldest theatre company.
“That makes four of us from Manitoba,” said Jean. “Gail Asper, Bill Loewen, Michelle, and me. Thomson Highway was a laureate this year.”
Local arts mavins Susan Glass and Arni Thorsteinson, who is helping the International Peace garden with its fundraising initiative, are very involved. “As Peter Herrndorf said,” continued Jean, “Winnipeg and Manitoba rule! And that is as it should be.”
Peter Herrndorf is the former president of the National Arts Centre and a University of Manitoba alumnus. All the good people come from Winnipeg!