Lytton plays host to emerging leaders from across Canada

Lytton plays host to emerging leaders from across Canada

Published 5:00 am Friday, June 5, 2026

Fourteen participants from across Canada were in Lytton on May 29 as part of the Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference, where they toured the community and met with residents, including Lytton Mayor Denise O’Connor (second from l, standing) and Lytton First Nation Councillor John Haugen (third from r, standing). (Submitted)

On May 29, the Village of Lytton played host to 14 participants from across Canada who were taking part in the annual Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference.

The conference brings together emerging leaders from business, labour, government, NGOs, education, and the cultural sector. The aim of the two-week event is to broaden participants’ perspectives on work, leadership, their communities, and the country.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Leading Canada’s Sustainable Prosperity,” and it began in Quebec City with sessions over several days. Participants then spread out across the country, with the B.C. study group — consisting of people from New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories — travelling to Prince Rupert, Terrace, and Kamloops before arriving in Lytton.

Councillor John Haugen from Lytton First Nation welcomed the group to Nlaka’pamux territory and shared the history of Lytton. The visitors toured the site where the new Nzen’man Child and Family Development Centre will be located (the Bird’s Nest Centre), and enjoyed lunch at Kumsheen Rafting Resort, where they learned about the whitewater rafting industry in the region.

There was a visit to the BC Wildfire Service base, as well as a visit to the rebuilt Chinese History Museum on Main Street. The 14 participants also learned about the recovery and rebuild of the Village of Lytton following the June 30, 2021 wildfire. The day ended with dinner at the Lytton Parish Hall, where the visitors were joined by many of the people who had presented to them during the day.

Throughout their visit to Lytton, locals heard the participants comment that Lytton is a prime example of resiliency and connection to community.

The group’s next stop after Lytton was the Lower Mainland, where they planned to spend a few days before returning to Quebec City. The information they gathered during their trip to B.C., and what they learned from it, will be presented to the Governor General of Canada, Louise Arbour.

For more information about the Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference, visit https://www.leadershipcanada.ca/.