On behalf of all Islanders, I would like to extend a sincere and heart-felt thank-you to Their Honours, Lieutenant Governor Frank Lewis and his wife Dorothy, for their six years of generous hospitality and dedicated service to the citizens of Prince Edward Island.
During their time in office, Their Honours opened the doors of Government House, extending friendly and warm hospitality to many, many Islanders and visitors to our province. Their tenure included high-profile events such as the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations marking the Queen’s 60 years of service where a wide cross section of Islanders were honoured with commemorative medals for their outstanding achievements.
In 2014, Their Honours generously hosted numerous receptions for Islanders and visitors celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference. With a special interest in raising awareness among youth of the 1864 meeting that led to Confederation, they invited schools groups to Government House and hosted more than 1,000 students.
This year, they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by inviting couples married in the same year, 1957, to share a special anniversary lunch with them. They also celebrated the Queen’s 90th birthday by inviting Islanders born in the same year to a special birthday lunch.
In addition to the constitutional duties of Lieutenant Governor, the role of the Lieutenant Governor in the community is important. With the opportunity to build pride and strengthen our identity, their Honours attended an astonishing number of community events across the province – as many as 3,600 – recognizing the valuable work of Islanders committed to improving their communities.
His Honour Frank Lewis approached his role as Lieutenant Governor with a relaxed manner and a good sense of humour. He has a knack for putting people at ease with a joke, making them feel comfortable. For many, his kindness and informal manner made a visit to Government House less imposing. For that, and for his open-door policy, Frank Lewis deserves the title ”The People’s Governor.”
I wish Their Honours a well-deserved rest. Their time in Government House will be remembered with great fondness by many. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to in-coming Lieutenant Governor Antoinette Perry and wish her all the best.
(Lewis was appointed P.E.I.’s lieutenant governor on Aug. 15, 2011. Ms. Perry, who will be the province's first female Acadian lieutenant-governor, will be sworn in at the Tignish Parish Centre on Oct. 20. This will be the first time the province's lieutenant-governor will be sworn in outside Charlottetown.)
- Richard Brown is MLA for Charlottetown - Victoria Park, and Government House Leader
