Rainy River District will be rolling out the red carpet next Wednesday for a visit from James K. Bartleman, the new Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
Lt.-Gov. Bartleman will attend events in Rainy River and Fort Frances, including a public reception at La Place Rendez-Vous at 8:30 p.m., though his itinerary had yet to be completed by press time today.
“Mr. Bartleman was sworn in as Lt.-Gov. in March. Since then, he’s done an enormous number of events in southern Ontario and he wanted to visit a community in the north,” Richard Berthelsen, director of the Lt.-Gov.’s office, said Tuesday.
Bartleman is the 27th Lt.-Gov. of the province.
A member of the Order of Ontario and the Order of St. John, he spent 35 years in the Canadian Foreign Service as a Canadian ambassador to numerous countries, including the European Union, Australia, South Africa, Israel, Cyprus, and Cuba.
Berthelsen said this trip was Bartleman’s initiative, fearing he might get caught up with all his engagements in Toronto and southern Ontario and ignore the rest of the province.
Berthelsen added the Lt. Governor, who is a member of the Mnjikaning First Nation, was eager to discuss issues with First Nations people in this area.
In Fort Frances, the town is hosting a dinner for Bartleman with 30 guests representing a cross-section of area residents.
CAO Bill Naturkach said representatives from town council, reeves from Alberton, Emo, and La Vallee, as well as the chief of Couchiching First Nations have been invited.
Representatives from local Girl Guides, Sea Cadets, Boy Scouts, the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau, and other groups also will be on hand.
Following the dinner, the public is invited to attend a reception for Lt.-Gov. Bartleman at La Place Rendez-Vous starting at 8:30 p.m.
“We invite everyone in the community to come out and meet the Lt.-Gov.,” Naturkach said. “He is particularly interested in meeting the youth of Ontario and talking about First Nations issue.”
Fort Frances Times
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