Another Memorial University graduate has been officially sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador’s lieutenant-governor.
Joan Marie Aylward (BN’82) was officially installed during a ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 14, in the House of Assembly.
‘No stranger to our university’
Ms. Aylward, who is the fifteenth lieutenant-governor of the province, worked as an intensive care nurse for five years. She served on the faculty of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and was president of the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland and Labrador.
She held several roles following her election to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in 1996, including minister of Finance and president of the Treasury Board, minister of Human Resources and Employment, and minister of Health and Community Services.
“I look forward to meeting with her as Official Visitor and showing her all the ways Memorial has grown since she was a student.”
After leaving the provincial legislature, Ms. Aylward was executive director of St. Patrick’s Mercy Home and vice-chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Relations Board. Appointed to the National Seniors Council in 2018, Ms. Aylward also chaired the Aging Population Committee for Health Accord for Newfoundland and Labrador.
She served on numerous boards and committees, including Oxfam Canada and the Foundation for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon. She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.
“I offer my sincere congratulations to Her Honour, Joan Marie Aylward, on her appointment as our new lieutenant-governor,” said President Neil Bose. “Though no stranger to our university, I look forward to meeting with her as Official Visitor and showing her all the ways Memorial has grown since she was a student and the invaluable work we are doing for the province and the world.”
Second woman appointed
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Aylward’s appointment on Oct. 12. The post is for a minimum of five years.
Ms. Aylward is the second woman to be appointed, taking over from Judy Foote, also a Memorial University alumna, who has served since 2018.
“I’d like to thank Ms. Foote for her steadfast dedication to Memorial University, not just in the last five years, but through a lifetime of public service,” added President Bose. “She has been a true advocate of our university and our value to the province.”
Selected by the Governor General in Council, the lieutenant governor is designated as the official visitor to Memorial University.
Lieutenant-governors are the personal representatives of the King of Canada in their respective provinces. They fulfill the roles and functions of the Crown, including granting Royal Assent to provincial laws.
