Georges Vanier

Georges Vanier became Governor General of Canada on September 15, 1959. His years in office were unusually turbulent and unsettling but his obvious interest in the poor and the humble, in the problems of young people and in the condition of the family won him the admiration and affection of Canadians.
In 1964, Pauline and Georges founded The Vanier Institute of the Family to provide aid to families in need of counsel and to deepen understanding of the vital importance of family life to all Canadians.

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Pauline Vanier

​Pauline Vanier was the spouse of Georges Vanier (above) and was a devoted companion and mother.  She helped develop the Vanier Institute of the Family (which continues to exist today) and spent the last years of her life in the first L'Arche community in France helping forge caring relationships with the residents and those who traveled from throughout the world to live in solidarity with those who are society's most vulnerable.

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Jean Vanier

One of the five children in the Vanier family, Jean continued the humanitarian and spiritual tradition of the family, establishing L'Arche [The Ark], a cooperative network of self-help communities whose aim is to integrate those who are mentally challenged and help them to live full and productive lives. 
Today, Jean Vanier's L'Arche movement has spread throughout the world, including many Canadian L'Arche homes. L'Arche communities exemplify the ideal that the commitment of love and understanding can make a difference to the quality of our lives and to the societies in which we live.

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Jean Vanier honoured our school community by sending this personalized video to our students on April 28, 2017 as we celebrated Vanier Day - an annual day to honour our school's namesake family, their commitment to society's most vulnerable, and their devotion to serving God and incorporating spirituality into their daily lives.

We were so pleased to receive it and we hope that you enjoy it!