LG Elizabeth Dowdeswell

As Honorary Vice Patron of @RCIScience, I am delighted to congratulate Professor @CaulfieldTim, winner of this year’s Sandford Fleming Medal for outstanding contributions to the public understanding of science. The current global pandemic has revealed inequalities just below the surface of our society along with ethical questions which cannot be divorced from science. As Prof Caulfield knows all too well, we need empathy and mutual understanding, for continued progress only comes at the speed of trust.

COVID-19 had exposed just how necessary journalism and #mediafreedom is for a healthy democracy. We cannot hope to be resilient, or to #buildbackbetter if we are uninformed about the facts. The second Global Conference for Media Freedom asks us to recommit to supporting media freedom around the world and to hold truth and fact-based decision making up as a pillar of democracy. In 2019 I travelled to London to take part in the inaugural Global Conference for Media Freedom. Read about how my interactions with local media across the province inspired the exhibition #SpeakingofDemocracy and the role Ontario can play in safeguarding press freedom while creating a more sustainable journalistic ecosystem. http://www.lgontario.ca/en/2020/09/12/uk-july-2019/

We are live this morning with Scouts Canada! Discover how Scouts are adventuring safely this season and how you can stay active throughout the winter as well. Whether with family or on a solo excursion, we’ve got tips and answers for all your questions. Join us on Instagram Stories, @lgontario, where we’ll be hosting a Q&A all day!

Congratulations to fellow Saskatchewan-raised the Hon. Ralph Goodale on receiving the 2020 Award for Excellence in the Cause of Parliamentary Democracy by the Churchill Society. The importance he has placed on decency, the willingness to listen to others, and the vital role of parliament is best captured in his own words: It is a precious minority of the world that has the privilege of living under a democratic system.

Scouts Canada will be taking over our Instagram Stories tomorrow to host a LIVE Q&A! Not sure how to stay active with your family this winter? Need tips for snowy adventures? Tune into Instagram tomorrow, @lgontario, to hear how Scouts are adventuring safely this season.

Today I joined the first Middlesex County Women’s Caucus, during which over 50 women from the region spoke of the impact of COVID-19 with their local wardens, councillors and mayors all women. The honesty, courage and openness of the participants allowed the dialogue to expose just how much we all have in common. Thank you to those who participated and shared stories - your communities cannot do without you and all that you contribute.

This year is The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair 98th year and while it doesn’t look the same way it did 98 years ago, or even one year ago, you can still see a proud Ontario tradition virtually, by visiting https://royalfair.vfairs.com/ up to November 14. Every year after harvest season in Ontario, communities across the province come together at local fall fairs to celebrate all things rural. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair showcases the best of agriculture, local food, and equestrian competitions every November at Exhibition Place, welcoming over 300,000 people. Read more about why The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is one of Ontario’s #StoriesofSustainability: http://www.lgontario.ca//the-royal-agricultural-winter-fa/

Remembrance Day 2020 takes place in strange and uncertain circumstances. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. Working together in common cause, members of the Canadian Forces have been there for us every step of the way: on the front lines, in long-term care homes, in cities and towns as reassuring neighbours and leaders. Daily they demonstrate resilience as they continue to serve. The unveiling of the moving memorial to veterans of the war in Afghanistan is a testament ...to Canada’s continuing role through the ages in building a just and secure world. The stone in this newly unveiled monument was taken from the inuksuk that stood at Kandahar Airfield as a tribute to fallen soldiers. It is a reminder that we all are connected to a much larger world, one that depends on us and one upon which we depend. This year we have given up being able to come together in large numbers. We do so to protect others. It is a small but important gesture through which we respect and honour the legacy of those who sacrificed for us in the past. Our veterans continue to inspire. Together we will overcome and build a stronger future together. Lest we forget. N’oublions jamais.

Such a fun and experimental use of technology at tonight’s OCAD University gala virtual happening including a lovely and thoughtful recognition of president emerita Sara Diamond's many contributions to Ontario and the world. Thank you to the entertainers, the artists, the students, and the many supporters of art and culture in the province who made the event such a success.

Félicitations à ces nouveaux membres de l’Ordre de la Pléiade! #onFR ICI Ontario https://ici.radio-canada.ca//ontario-francophonie-francoon

In a moment when we are relying on virtual connections more than ever before, this year’s Ideas on CBC Radio #masseylecture with Ron Deibert Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society, asks us all to examine the implications for a healthy democracy and take back control over our use, understanding, and expectations of social media. You can hear all six lectures here: https://www.cbc.ca//2020-massey-lectures-renowned-tech-exp