Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia

Evenings @ Government House Theatre Nova Scotia Presents on the Role of the Director in a Theatrical Production

2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Community Spirit Award Call for Submissions The call for submissions for this year's award was announced today. The award, established by then Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis in 2007, celebrates the power, strength and diversity of communities across Nova Scotia. It profiles their achievements and increases their visibility through a formal recognition program. I am delighted that we are able to resume the Community Spirit Award after takin...g a pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemics, said Lieutenant Governor Arthur J. LeBlanc. I was greatly impressed with the way Nova Scotia’s municipalities, towns and villages found innovative ways to continue their activities while we were all in lockdown and restricted. It is only fitting that we recognize and applaud those communities that went above and beyond to make their part of the province a very special place to live. The award is administered by the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage and up to four communities are honoured each year. Recipients are chosen by a selection committee based on community applications that best fit the award’s criteria. Communities that are selected promote citizen engagement, civic pride and have a positive outlook on the future. The Lieutenant Governor will visit the winning communities to participate in the celebrations and present an award. Since 2008, 44 communities have received the award. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the2020 Community Spirit Award was suspended. Any nominations received for the 2020 Lieutenant Governor’s Community Spirit Award program will be considered for 2021. The winning communities in 2019 were: - Glace Bay - Petite Rivière - Port Williams - Potlotek First Nation The deadline to submit applications is midnight on Friday, May 14, 2021. Applications can be found online at https://cch.novascotia.ca/investing-/community-spirit-award

Tartan Day 6 April 2021 Today we mark Tartan Day where we recognize and celebrate the contributions of the Scots and their descendants in Nova Scotia and Canada. Tartan Day was proclaimed in Nova Scotia in 1987, and on October 21, 2010, the Minister of Canadian Heritage officially declared April 6 as Tartan Day in Canada and it is now celebrated across the country. ... Tartan Day is marked on April 6 because it is the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, the Scottish declaration of independence.

Registration for Evenings @ Government House 20 April 2021 Registration is now open for the fourth event of the Winter 2021 Series of Evenings @ Government House on 20 April 2021. Marking its 40th Anniversary in August 2021, staff members from the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens will present on this premier tourism site located in the Annapolis Valley.... Government House will follow the prevailing health and safety regulations as they pertain to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests will be required to wear masks and social distance while inside Government House. There will be no post-presentation reception. Seating in the Ballroom will be limited to 25. As such, those interested in attending must register their names. Registration will close on Thursday, 15 April. On 16 April, 25 names will be randomly drawn and those selected will be advised immediately. Given that seating is limited, guests may reserve a maximum of two seats per registration. One registration per party only please (names drawn with an accompanying guest will be allocated two seats). To register, go to: https://bit.ly/36XWPCg or call 902-424-7001. This event will be livestreamed on the Lieutenant Governor's Facebook page starting at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, 20 April 2021. Historic Gardens

Government House Moat For aesthetic and recreational reasons, it has been decided to construct a moat around Government House, Halifax. There is already a partial moat on the front of Government House and it will be enlarged to go around the whole building. The addition of the moat will have an added benefit as one portion will be stocked for recreational fishing and the other half will be utilized for swimming. Fishing and swimming are the two favourite activities of the... current Lieutenant Governor. His Honour will be able to fish from his living room window and dive into the new moat from his bedroom. Diving boards will also be installed at 1 metre, 3 metres and 9 metres, which are the standard heights utilized in competitive diving. The moat will extend from Barrington Street to Lower Water, which will also permit water skiing. Government House is the oldest official residence in Canada. The building’s cornerstone was laid on 11 September 1800 and was completed in 1805. While designs are not yet complete, images are enclosed to give Nova Scotians an idea of what the new moat will look like.

African Heritage Month 2021 (AHM 2021) Proclamation and Poster Launch 26 January 2021 This morning African Heritage Month 2021 was launched including remarks from His Honour, Premier McNeil and Minister Tony Ince; a reading of the Proclamation; and the Poster unveiling. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s launch and poster unveiling was conducted in a virtual format. His Honour unveiled the poster for AHM 2021 with the Honourable Tony Ince, Minister for African Nov...a Scotian Affairs. The theme for AHM 2021 is Black History Matters: Listen, Learn, Share and Act. This theme recognizes the important legacy of people of African Descent and the long-standing history in the development of Canada. This theme brings focus and increased awareness of racialized issues of a community that has overcome great adversity for inclusion in all aspects of Society. It further calls on us to listen, learn, share and act to make society a better place. The theme also aligns with the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (DPAD) 2015-2024. The goal of DPAD is to strengthen global cooperation in support of people of African descent, increase awareness, and the passage towards a presence in all aspects of society. Nova Scotia has over 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities with a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 200 years. African Heritage Month provides us with another opportunity to celebrate our culture, legacy, achievements, and contributions of our people past and present. The AHM 2021 poster is produced by the African Heritage Month Information network (AHMIN) which is a partnership between numerous African Nova Scotian associations, organizations and government offices (provincial and municipal levels). Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs

Deployment of HMCS HALIFAX 1 January 2021 Their Honours The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, and Mrs. Patsy LeBlanc were honoured to bid farewell to the crew of HMCS HALIFAX (FFH 330) on Friday, 1 January 2021 as the ship sailed from Halifax on a six-month deployment on OPERATION REASSURANCE to promote peace and security in Central and Eastern Europe. His Honour took the salute as HMCS HALIFAX sailed by. Royal Canadian Navy... Maritime Forces Atlantic - Forces Maritimes de l'Atlantique HMCS Halifax / NCSM Halifax (Photo Credit: Maritime Forces Atlantic Public Affairs)

As the annual New Year’s Day Levée that is traditionally hosted by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, His Honour The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, accompanied by Her Honour Mrs. Patsy LeBlanc, has recorded a message for 2021 and offers a toast to Nova Scotians.

A Message for the New Year from the Canadian Vice-Regal Family The Governor General, Lieutenant Governors and Territorial Commissioners have prepared a New Year’s message for Canadians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiOKDs9P4es&feature=youtu.be

Un message pour la nouvelle année de la famille vice-royale Canadienne La gouverneure générale, les lieutenants-gouverneurs et les commissaires territoriaux ont préparé un message du Nouvel An pour les Canadiens : https://youtu.be/yBgoxAZYU_s

2020 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines Five wines received the 2020 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines at a ceremony at Government House, Halifax on Thursday, November 19th, 2020. The award, established by former Lieutenant Governor Brigadier-General The Honourable J.J. Grant in 2014, recognizes the exceptional quality of locally sourced and produced wines, and honours the dedication and craft of those in Nova Scotia'...s wine industry. Through blind tastings an independent panel of 10 experts chose the following wines, listed in alphabetical order, as the best among the wines submitted: - Non-Vintage Crémant, Blomidon Estate Winery - 2019 Riesling, Gaspereau Vineyards - 2019 Tidal Bay, Gaspereau Vineyards - 2014 Blanc de Blancs Brut, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards - Sparkling Rosé, Lüvo Life Company "Every year, the winemakers in this province create outstanding wines that successfully compete on a national and international level, said His Honour The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Over time, the wineries in Nova Scotia have advanced significantly. They can all be very proud of their wines and how they contribute to the wine and tourism industries. Members of Taste of Nova Scotia and Wine Growers Nova Scotia were invited to submit up to three commercially available grape wines with 100 per cent Nova Scotia content. This year, 37 wines from 13 wineries were submitted for adjudication. The award ceremony included the presentation of a certificate and gold medal to each winning winery. During the ceremony, His Honour was pleased to present the Government House Gold Medal to Ms. Evelyn Friedrich in recognition of her exceptional support to the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines since its creation in 2014. Wines of Nova Scotia Taste of Nova Scotia

Evenings @ Government House 17 November 2020 Tonight, the fifth event of the Evenings @ Government House Fall 2020 Series featured Gloria Stephens, a graduate of the Victoria General Hospital (VGH) School of Nursing, who gave a talk entitled, Remembering the Victoria General Hospital School of Nursing Graduates who bravely served in the World Wars of the 20th Century. Gloria Stephen presentation was based on her newly published book, Remembering Nurses Who Served. ... This presentation marks the centenary of the VGH Alumni ,which was formed on 2 March 1920.

Evenings @ Government House - Remembering the Victoria General Hospital School of Nursing Graduates who bravely served in the World Wars of the 20th Century.

EVENINGS @ GOVERNMENT HOUSE 1 DECEMBER 2020 Registration is now open for the sixth and final event of the Fall 2020 Series of Evenings @ Government House on 1 December 2020. In June 2020, a new book entitled, Government House Halifax: A Place of History and Gathering (Goose Lane Editions) was published. Author Dr. Christopher McCreery, Private Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and the author of more than a dozen other works, will speak on the history of ...Government House and researching the book. Government House will follow the prevailing health and safety regulations as they pertain to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests will be required to wear masks while inside Government House. There will be no post-presentation reception. Seating in the Ballroom will be limited to 25. As such, those interested in attending must register their names. Registration will close on Thursday, 26 November. On 27 November, 25 names will be randomly drawn and those selected will be advised immediately. Given that seating is limited, guests may reserve a maximum of two seats per registration. One registration per party only please (names drawn with an accompanying guest will be allocated two seats). To register, go to: https://bit.ly/3pfatsn or call 902-424-7001. This event will be livestreamed on the Lieutenant Governor's Facebook page starting at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, 1 December 2020.

Lieutenant Governor’s Masterworks Art Award Winner 14 November 2020 On Saturday, 14 November 2020, at the virtual 2020 Creative Nova Scotia Gala, His Honour was delighted to announce the Lieutenant Governor’s Masterworks Art Award for the large-scale public art sculpture titled, Tepkik by Jordan Bennett. The sculpture was nominated by Greg Hill, National Gallery of Canada. The Lieutenant Governor’s Masterworks Arts Award recognizes excellence in all creative media and hi...ghlights works that have a strong connection to Nova Scotia in the context of national and international achievement. The Masterworks Arts Award is the largest cultural award based in Nova Scotia, with the artist of the winning work receiving a total prize of $25,000. The Award is managed by the Nova Scotia Masterworks Awards Foundation. Nova Scotia Masterworks Awards Foundation