Official Visit to Alberta

During the inspection of the guard, Her Excellency stopped to thank Canadian Armed Forced members for their service.

On the occasion of her official visit to Alberta, the Governor General was welcomed with military honours, including a 100-person guard of honour, the “Viceregal Salute” and a 21-gun salute at the Legislative Assembly.

In the afternoon, the Governor General visited WinSport where she met with students from the National Sport School. WinSport is a legacy from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It is now a multi-purpose training and competition facility for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public.

The tour was led by the project’s lead investigator, Dr. Garnette Sutherland, Professor of Neurosurgery.

Later, the Governor General visited the University of Calgary’s NeuroArm, an MRI-compatible, image-guided, computer-assisted device specifically designed for neurosurgery.

The next day, the Governor General started her day by teaming up with Dr. Robert Thirsk, a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut, to visit the Robert Thirsk High School. In 2009, the Governor General and Dr. Thirsk made history by being the first two Canadian astronauts to fly in space at the same time.

The Governor General and Dr. Thirsk discussed space exploration and the feasibility of reaching Mars with students.

After the tour, the Governor General participated in a round-table discussion with scientists and industry leaders on how to collaborate to innovate.

Later, the Governor General visited CanmetENERGY Devon where she toured the facilities. CanmetENERGY focuses on the development of cleaner fossil fuels and related environmental technologies with a focus on oil sands and heavy oil.

In the afternoon, Her Excellency addressed the members of the Legislative Assembly. “Alberta has a culture of open innovation, resilience, leadership and the will to move forward no matter what happens.”

Next, the Governor General met with Her Honour the Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.

Afterwards, the Governor General met with the Honourable Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta, to discuss the priorities of the province.

Inside the Legislative Assembly, Her Excellency signed the Speaker’s Guest Book and the Legislature Guest Book in the presence of the Honourable Robert E. Wanner, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Before entering the Legislative Assembly, the Governor General and the Honourable Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta, stopped to talk with students.

The Governor General also took the time to meet with members of the public who were present for the welcoming ceremony.

Her Excellency then toured the training facilities and spoke with some athletes in training.