Thank you to Diane Minichiello of the Britannia Centennial Reunion Society for the invitation here this evening. I would also like to thank my Honorary Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant-Commander King Wan, Piper Tim Fanning of the Vancouver Police Department Pipe Band and the RCMP Color Guard. 

It is the 150th year since the establishment of British Columbia as a Royal Colony of Britain. I wish to congratulate Britannia Secondary School, the second oldest school in Vancouver, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. I understand that Britannia is home to the International Baccalaureate program and many others including academics, fine arts leadership and academic for tutoring and support.

How does one even begin to comprehend the impact of 100 years of teaching BC students? How can we grasp the magnitude of such an achievement? If a person were to continue at one profession for 100 years you could possibly encapsulate and even compute this kind of contribution, but for an entire institution, the task becomes much more difficult. Should we see how many students have passed through? Should we examine the successes and achievements of particular students? I think the sheer magnitude of the contribution to British Columbia is so far reaching in terms of economics, governance, social change, education, law, environmental protection and so on, as to be unfathomable. Congratulations Britannia! I wish you another 100 years of success.

LOCATION:1401 Rockland Avenue
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V8S 1V9

PHONE:(250) 387-2080

FAX:(250) 387-2078

EMAIL:ghinfo@gov.bc.ca

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