Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/988313
Heritage Matters 10 An inclusive society rests in part on widespread scientific and technological literacy, the focus of yet another initiative: Canada 2067. Led by Dr. Bonnie Schmidt and national charitable organization Let's Talk Science, this project has sought to transform STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in this country, particularly as it relates to young women, who tend to self-select out of STEM fields earlier than their male peers. In June, I attended a Canada 150 coding event, led by Toronto-based Ladies Learning Code, where I saw a new generation of young people learning a valuable life skill. These efforts could not be more relevant in our changing knowledge-based economy. The world around us is evolving so fast, we can either stand still, watching it change as technology advances, or we can try to keep up. We can learn about technology's endless possibilities, figure out how it works, and seize its potential in building sustainable and resilient communities. As 2018 progresses, it is to be expected that Canada 150 may fade from our collective consciousness. And in the coming years, some may remark that we did not leave many sesquicentennial monuments and physical markers, as we did during the centennial in 1967. In 2017, it is clear that we decided to leave our mark in a different way. Canada is now a more mature country, one not so eager to prove itself. What I have witnessed over the past year reflects our willingness to have difficult conversations and to come to terms with all aspects of our past and present. From the shameful legacy of residential schools and cultural assimilation, to gender-based violence and sexual harassment, we recognize that we must do better, and that we are ready to start doing better. We know that women and girls in their fight for equality have found ever greater courage to raise their voices and lead movements against injustices of all kinds. In doing so, they have found solidarity and strength in each other and, in turn, support from every facet of society. Let us hope that our commitment in 2017 to a better province and a better planet, will prove a turning point, a historical marker greater than any monument, a testament to lasting and positive change. The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell is the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Photos courtesy of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The Lieutenant Governor and Stephanie Sutton, a softball coach at McMaster University and coach mentor, share a light moment. The Lieutenant Governor speaks with community members during a visit to the Ontario Native Women's Association's satellite office in Geraldton.