It is with great pleasure but simultaneously a feeling of responsibility that I am assuming as Governor that I address these words to provide an insight into the essence of our District.

Many particularities are attached to our District, whether it be the legal jurisdictions, its languages and its practices. These aspects take on another meaning to us this year, having the privilege of integrating a new Club situated in a new geographic region than those we have known for years.

The area our District now covers is a lot greater with the arrival of the Rotary Club of Iqaluit, situated in the Nunavut Territory.

In cooperation with our new Rotarians, we will get to know new ways of doing things, challenges regarding distances and new laws to respect. Welcome to our new Rotarian colleagues.

The projects realized by clubs from all 4 segments of our District answer the needs selected by all 65 clubs situated in parts of: New York State, Ontario, Quebec and without forgetting our territory of Nunavut.

Bilinguism, French and English, is a specific of our District. We attempt to produce all written material produced by the District in both languages, except in a few rare occasions. This task does require additional work that is judged necessary in the Canadian part of our District.

Our District is comprised of 65 Rotary Clubs, 6 Rotaract Clubs for college or university students, 30 Interactor Clubs for high school students 15 to 18 years of age, 15 Youth Exchange students in our long term 1 year exchange and additional short term exchanges.

Our District is very well known in both local and international communities and stands out by its youth but also by its seasoned representatives leaving its mark by carrying out projects that answer the needs of benefiting communities, within the District’s resources and capabilities. We do support by our efforts, the emphases as set forth by Rotary International being, Water, Health and Hunger, Literacy, the Family of Rotary and Youth.

We are involved at the International level in projects involving clean water, help in schools and orphanages in El Salvador by our Interactors, purchases of nets against Malaria and the helping hand of some of our older Rotarians in the so important mass immunization programs being carried out in endemic countries.

Notwithstanding what has already been mentioned, the other Rotary International programs such as, RYLA, Youth Exchange, etc and other Rotary Foundation programs, Ambassadorial Scholarships, Group Study Exchange (GSE), Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Scholarships have not been forgotten.

Efforts this year will be concentrated on recruiting new and retention of existing members, expanding the knowledge of Rotary in our communities, review the training provided to our members, rethink some of the ways we do things and seek out new opportunities of serving our communities.

Rotary is a world wide reputable help organization, recognized by the majority of governments in close to 200 countries.

I invite you to explore our website, to learn more about Rotary and to tag on to our link with Rotary International’s website, to get a much broader picture of our great organization.

Edmond Lanthier, C.D., MBA, CA.
District Governor 2006-2007
Rotary International
District 7040