The 60th Anniversary of the United Nations

In a ceremony today at the Manitoba Legislature, we marked the 60th anniversary of the United Nations. Awards were presented to Cassandra Shahinfar, Kaira Bakkestad-Legare, Megan Fultz, Christine Paille, Lauren Marshall, Lauryn Pizey-Allen, Caroline Crawford and Shelagh Pizey-Allen. In my view, one of the major advances this year, for the United Nations, was the agreement to support the principle of the "Responsibility to Protect" - see the note on my blog for October 17. I think, years from now, people will remember this year as the year when this idea - put forward by Canadians - was adopted by the United Nations. Congratulations to Ashok Athavale, the President of the United Nations Association of Canada - Winnipeg and to the others who helped in ensuring this cermony took place.

In the photo, I am shown with Kaira Bakkestad-Legare, one of the award winners. Kaira was at Robert H. Smith school in River Heights last year, and is going to River Heights Junior High School this year. Congratulations to Kaira and to the teachers at Robert H. Smith School where Kaira was when she gave the award winning speech.