The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1967, Page 34

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Summer 1967
Address by
The Honourable George d. Mcllraith
Minister of Public Works
I am pleased and honored to wel-
come you here today on behalf of the
Government of Canada -and to be part
of this singular and significant event
in our Centennial celebrations.
It is fitting and I think, very salutary,
that in receiving this Centennial gift
from Canadians of Icelandic origin
we are recognizing that this coun-
try is more than the flower of a cen-
tury—it is the pearl of a millenium.
The mark of those who came before
us and who paved the way to our
present wealth and greatness spans
many centuries and has roots in many
parts of the world. It reminds us that
we must always continue to grow as a
country — not only physically but
spiritually if we are to be worthy of
our great land.
Dr. Thorlakson, the members of the
Canadian Icelandic Centennial Com-
mittee, and the hundreds of Ice-
landic-Canadians who have contribut-
ed to this gift are to be com-
mended. While the plaque is a signif-
icant token of the Icelandic com-
munity’s spirit, I need only look
around this platform for the greatest
proof of its contribution to Canada. I
think of my old friend, Judge Walter
Lindal; The Honourable J. T. Thor-
son, formerly President of the Ex-
chequer Count of Canada, Dr. Thor-
lakson and the many distinguished
persons with us here today. . . .
Before I turn over proceedings to Dr.
Thorlakson for the presentation, I feel
I should say a bit more about this
HONOURABLE G. J. McILRAITH
Minister of Public Works
distinguished man who, as Chairman
of the Canadian (Icelandic) Centennial
Committee, has worked so diligently
to bring about this ceremony. A
distinguished surgeon and professor of
surgery, his career is a remarkable ex-
ample of service to his country and
community. He is Chairman of the
Foundation Committee which establish-
ed the Chair of Icelandic Language
and Literature at the University of
Manitoba. He was a member of -the
Medical Research Council of Canada
under the late Sir Frederic Banting
and in 1962 he was President of -the
National Cancer Institute. . . .
May I now call on him to present
the Centennial Icelandic Plaque.