Strathcona Tweedsmuir School - Paidia Yearbook (Okotoks, Alberta Canada)

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6 Marita Marks receives Sellar Horsemanship Award from Brigadier-General Sellar PRIZEGIVING 1974 'F L l . a Student procession opens outdoor ceremony Mr. Heard delivers address Mrs. Mabee presents the First Graduation Medallion to Brian Peacock PHOTOGRAPHER: Mr. Ditchburn Q.

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paidi 1973 - 74 STRATHCONA-TWEEDSMUIR SCHOOL OKOTOKS, ALBERTA

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ADDRESS BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL GORDON SELLAR, C.D., DIRECTOR GENERAL RESERVES AND CADETS, AND A FORMER STUDENT OF STRATHCONA SCHOOL FOR BOYS I am delighted to be here at your prizegiving today. You are indeed fortunate young people to be at this excellent school and in these magnificent surroundings. When I was 11 - 14 years of age I used to keep a pony on a picket on the empty lots near our house in Elbow Park. In the winter I used to put him on a farm near here and always two of the most pleasant rides of the year were those when I brought him out here in the fall and back in the spring. Now just a few thoughts for you young people, some of whom are finished at this school and others who will be back in September. I would like you to think with me for a few minutes about what it means for you to be a Canadian. Not a Westerner, not an Albertan, not a Calgarian, not an Okotoksian but a Canadian. You know we Albertans and Westerners for many years talked about those Easterners who had all the money, all the factories, all the head offices, all the Cabinet Ministers and how they were running the country for themselves and didn't care about us. Those Easterners weren't very interested in us then as there weren't many of us, we didn't have very much, they had never been here and didn't particularly want to come as they figured they had everything where they were. Now things are different. The West is rich, particularly B.C. and Alberta. They have enormous resources, factories, petrochemical plants, oil, gas, coal, iron ore, lumber, pulp and on and on'i. There are six or seven million people in the West and all Canada now knows it's here and important. Now I suggest that we as Westerners must not become as the Easterners were or as we perceived them to be just fat and happy with their own lot and never mind anyone else. We Westerners must strive to be real Canadians as well as Westerners. How do you do this? First and foremost you must learn a lot about your own country. First by reading and study and then by travelling whenever you can. So many Canadians have been to California or Florida or Europe yet have never crossed the boundary of the next province. How many of you here have been to the states but never to Saskatchewan and I assure you Saskatchewan is truly a much more beautiful province than most states to your south. How many of you and your parents have been to Europe to see and enjoy their culture but haven't been to Quebec or the Maritimes to see and understand theirs. You probably know more about American history, geography, culture and politics than you do Canadian. I suggest then the first step in being a Canadian is to learn and understand as much as possible about your own country and its people. It is a fascinating country, large, diverse and extraordinarily different from one area to the next. I suggest that some of you, once you have learned a lot about Canada and become an openminded Canadian, should strive to do what you can to unite Canada and make it strong. Maybe you can do this as a teacher, a business man or women, a minister or maybe enter federal politics. In my opinion, with many exceptions land particularly if there are any federal politicians here todayl the West and Alberta has not been well represented in Ottawa. Partly this is because not many Albertans want to live in Ottawa. I live there and assure you it is a lovely city to live in lfor a while anywayl. If you do, try and represent Alberta partly as an Albertan but partly as a Canadian so you can do and understand what is best for Canada and for Alberta. Now you girls! Where do you go from here. Are you going to be women's libbers, professional athletes, engineers, business women or wives and mothers. The door is open to do as you wish as I think it has always been so choose what you think you should and would like to do. Don't decide to be an engineer just to compete with or show the men you can compete. Do be a heavy equipment operator or a doctor if that is what you really want to do. For many of you I suggest the most exciting challenging career you could dream of is to be a dynamic wife and mother. I suggest that the problems we are having with a few of our youths today are because some of our mothers and fathers are neglecting their jobs as parents and are too busy making money or pampering themselves to devote sufficient time to their children. The greatest satisfaction a man or woman can have is to have a happy family life with well adjusted children going out into the world to be good Canadians. I recommend that all of you develop hobbies and sports that you take part in and enjoy. I believe in the work ethic lat least a few hours a dayl but don't work all the time. Don't make work your hobby. Too many of my generation have done this and are dying from heart attacks and obesity every day. Learn to relax and enjoy your spare time - you will enjoy life, last longer, be better people and get more work done as well. Thank you for inviting my wife and I to be here with you today. Congratulations to all you prize winners and to all who competed and played the game.