Northern stories are being shared with Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor.
This week, Elizabeth Dowdeswell is on a four-day visit to the region, meeting with groups in Moosonee and Moose Factory, and Esker Lakes Provincial Park.
In Timmins, she’s met with Misiway Milopemahtesewin Health Centre, toured Living Space and sat down for a roundtable to talk about homelessness and health care. Tomorrow, she’s at Northern College to discuss applied research and the role of community in education programming.
“I’ve been hearing some wonderful stories about how people are responding to change, change that’s sometimes very difficult,” she said after a session at the Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre.
“When I was in Moosonee and Moose Factory of course I heard a lot of history and I also had a chance to see some of the ways in which there are some really forward-looking approaches to dealing with real challenges of everything from mental health to addictions. And here in Timmins healthcare, the wonderful way in which partnerships have been established to work on issues like homelessness, which require so many different people and institutions to come together.”
As Lieutenant Governor, she doesn’t make policy or create laws.
“What I can do is to shine a light on issues that are important in communities and I’ve certainly heard a lot of that. I’ve heard solutions as well. And the story-telling is really important because not every community is the same and they can learn from one another and so wherever I am next, I’ll be telling stories about Timmins, no doubt, and what I’ve learned from being in this community,” she said.
While she regularly gets to get out and seep people around the province, in the summer she tries to make time for northern communities.
“It’s a chance to recognize the importance of municipal government, and how they’re often forgotten about and yet they’re closest to the people,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to find out through round tables of people from the community what they’re proud of. Why do they live in Timmins, for example, what do they want me to know about their community, and also what they’re challenged by.”
So far, she’s enjoying her time in the region.
“I think I’ve discovered the best bannock in the province and couldn’t get the recipe for it, unfortunately. Just the warmth and the generosity of people who’ve sat down to talk to me, who’ve taken time off work, who just so generously gave up their time is really appreciated,” she said.
Dowdeswell was appointed to the role in 2014.
Travelling to communities around the province she said there are similar issues, though they are dealing with them on different timeframes.
In some communities, she noted, there may be something that they are just starting to work on.
“In other communities they’ve worked on it for the last 10 years and so there are solutions,” she said.
