Speech delivered by Joe Flynn, Regional and Branch Manager, on behalf of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life at the Behind The Scenes Tour event at Southlake Regional Hospital on Thursday, Jan. 21

It’s my pleasure to be here on behalf of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life.

To pick up on what Dr. Anglin and Foundation President and CEO Neila Poscente have expressed tonight, now is a time for optimism about cancer treatment for people in the York region and Simcoe counties. The Regional Cancer Centre will help ensure that citizens in these regions have access to the comprehensive care they need. We commend the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation for their commitment to improve healthcare in the region.

As leading providers of life and health insurance and as caring members of the communities we serve, we take special interest in supporting innovative projects and programs that offer strong healthcare visions for the community.

The creation of this centre for this growing region is a great example of what Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life strive to achieve through our national corporate citizenship program – building stronger and healthier communities together.

This is therefore more than a financial pledge. The Southlake Regional Health Centre will provide opportunities for collaboration with other centres of excellence in cancer care to improve and expand on regional patient care. That fits with key goals in our funding of health and wellness: to encourage collaboration, to translate knowledge and expertise, and to build capacity overall.

There is another vital element to our corporate citizenship, and that is how we, as individuals, can engage and make a difference. Beyond the dollars and the ideas, our staff and distribution associates time and again demonstrate their commitment to help improve the communities in which they live and work. In this regard, we thank Mike Smith and Richard Rogers of Smith Rogers Financial, a financial planning firm associated with our company. Mike and Richard brought to our attention the opportunity to contribute to the Count on Me capital campaign and be a part of this important work.

Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life appreciate the recognition this plaque bestows. It is gratifying for our organization to make a major contribution to an initiative that holds great promise for healthcare and for the well-being of our community.