Thanks for amazing show of support

More than 5,000 scholars and their families from across North America and around the world were at the University of Regina from May 26-June 1 to participate in the largest conference ever held in our city — the Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities. During that time, I received countless compliments on our university, city and province from people who had never been here before, or had not been back in many years.

Visitors told me over and over how lovely our city is, how friendly people are, and how proud we should be to live here. They loved our restaurants and stores, were enchanted by Wascana Park, and were mesmerized by the lightning storm that lit up our prairie sky on May 26.

We should never take for granted what a special city and province we live in. As president of the University of Regina, I will never forget the community support that helped our university put on such a successful event that was years in the making.

Among their many contributions both leading up to and during Congress, Mayor Michael Fougere, his colleagues on city council, and the City of Regina staff ensured that complimentary and accessible public transit was available for attendees. The Regina Hotels Association, Tourism Regina and Tourism Saskatchewan, along with many other community partners, provided invaluable support as we welcomed thousands of guests to the city.

Provincial government officials attended events, and the Honourable Tina BeaudryMellor, minister of advanced education as well as an alumna and former instructor at the university, was on hand to welcome guests and open Congress. The Honourable Ralph Goodale, MP for Regina-Wascana and another alumnus, was a constant source of support. And there are so many others to thank.

Perhaps most importantly, the citizens of Regina did what they do best. They came to public events on campus, volunteered in the hundreds, and served as ambassadors at the airport, on campus and throughout the community.

I often say that Regina is a city you can “wrap your arms around,” and if the community’s involvement in last week’s Congress is any indication, it is also a city that “wraps its arms around you!”

To the citizens of Regina: Thank you for opening your restaurants, stores, homes and hearts to our visitors, and thank you for demonstrating such pride in our university, city and province.