The Governor General to Undertake an Official Visit to Alberta

OTTAWA, May 11, 2018 /CNW/ - Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, will visit the cities of Calgary and Edmonton as part of her first official visit to Alberta on May 15 and 16, 2018.

During this visit, the Governor General will have the opportunity to meet with provincial officials including the Lieutenant Governor and the Premier, as well as with community members from across the province. This visit will also provide an opportunity for Her Excellency to discover Alberta's innovative practices in the areas of science and sport.

Below is Her Excellency's detailed itinerary. Times are indicated in local time: Mountain Daylight Time (UTC -06:00).

Edmonton, Alberta
Tuesday, May 15

10 a.m. 
Official Welcoming Ceremony
Upon arrival at the Legislative Assembly, the Governor General will be officially welcomed to the province by the Honourable Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta. She will receive military honours, including a 100-person guard of honour, the "Viceregal Salute" and a 21-gun salute from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the 20th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.

Her Excellency will then enter the Legislative Assembly, where she will be greeted by the Honourable Robert E. Wanner, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The Speaker will introduce Her Excellency to the veterans and youth present to witness her sign the Speaker's Guest Book and the Legislature Guest Book in the rotunda.
Legislative Assembly of Alberta, 10800 97 Ave NW, Edmonton
OPEN TO MEDIA—Media must register with the Legislative Assembly
MEDIA CONTACT: Tracey Sales, 780-415-9584, [email protected]

10:30 a.m.
Meeting with the Premier of Alberta
Her Excellency will meet with the Honourable Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta.
OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY

10:50 a.m.
Meeting with the Lieutenant Governor
The Governor General will meet with Her Honour the Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY

1:30 p.m.
Address to Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Her Excellency will address the members of the Legislative Assembly and invited guests. The Speaker and the Premier of Alberta will deliver opening remarks. The event will be broadcast live on Alberta Assembly TV and online at http://assemblyonline.assembly.ab.ca.
Legislative Assembly of Alberta, 10800 97 Ave NW, Edmonton
OPEN TO MEDIA—Media must register with the Legislative Assembly
MEDIA CONTACT: Tracey Sales, 780-415-9584, [email protected]

2:30 p.m.
Visit to CanmetENERGY Devon
The Governor General will visit CanmetENERGY Devon where she will tour the facilities and participate in a round-table discussion to learn about its innovative practices.

CanmetENERGY is a clean energy research and technology organization. Its work in Alberta focuses on the development of cleaner fossil fuels and related environmental technologies with a focus on oil sands and heavy oil. For more information, visit www.nrcan.gc.ca.
OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY

5:30 p.m.
Official Reception Hosted by the Lieutenant Governor and the Premier
The Lieutenant Governor and the Premier of Alberta will host a reception in honour of Her Excellency's official visit. This reception will provide an opportunity for Her Excellency to meet and speak with Albertans who have contributed to their communities and with key leaders from the province. The Governor General, the Lieutenant Governor and the Premier will deliver remarks at the reception.
Government House, 12845 102 Ave NW, Edmonton
OPEN TO MEDIA—During the speeches only
MEDIA CONTACT: Oscar Lamers, 780-719-3292, [email protected]

Calgary, Alberta
Wednesday, May 16

9:30 a.m.
Discussion with Students at Robert Thirsk High School
The Governor General will team up with Dr. Robert Thirsk, a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut, to visit the Robert Thirsk High School and have a discussion with Grade 11 students on space exploration and the feasibility of reaching Mars.

Robert Thirsk High School opened its doors in September 2013. In addition to offering courses and programs mandated by the Alberta Ministry of Education, the school places special emphasis on strengthening connections among students, staff and the broader community, and on providing students with multiple opportunities in experiential learning. For more information, visit schools.cbe.ab.ca/b880/about.htm.
OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY

10:45 a.m.
Visit NeuroArm at the University of Calgary
The Governor General will visit the University of Calgary's NeuroArm, an MRI-compatible, image-guided, computer-assisted device specifically designed for neurosurgery. The tour will be led by the project's lead investigator, Dr. Garnette Sutherland, Professor of Neurosurgery. For more information, visit www.neuroarm.org.
Teaching Research and Wellness Building, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary
OPEN TO MEDIA
MEDIA CONTACT: Drew Scherban, 403-220-7722, [email protected]

2 p.m.
Visit to WinSport
Her Excellency will visit WinSport where she will first meet with high school students from the National Sport School. Afterwards, she will head to the Markin MacPhail Centre to view a T-shirt signed by Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics, which Her Excellency brought with her during the Endeavour space mission. Next, she will tour the facility and meet with Olympians.

WinSport is a legacy from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It is now a multi-purpose training and competition facility for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public. For more information, visit www.winsport.ca.
Teaching Research and Wellness Building, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary
OPEN TO MEDIA—Media are invited to cover the t-shirt viewing and the tour of the facility. Media should arrive no later than 1:50 p.m. at the Main Entrance of the Markin MacPhail Centre (in front of Arena A.)  
MEDIA CONTACT: Leighton Klassen, 403-202-6599, [email protected]

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SOURCE Governor General of Canada

Media information: Josephine Laframboise, Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-990-9324, 613-668-1929 (cell), [email protected]