Honouring Nello Altomare’s life and legacy

The Maples

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This article was published 19/02/2025 (560 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nello Altomare, Manitoba’s 35th minister of education, passed away on Jan.14, 2025. He leaves behind a profound void for everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. His loss resonates deeply across all levels of his life – personal, professional and public.

A dedicated educator, Nello’s career spanned from teaching in the Transcona-Springfield School Division to serving as vice-principal and principal, touching countless lives along the way. His unwavering commitment to the power of education ultimately led him into politics, where he served as minister of education and early childhood learning.

Nello believed that every child should have access to nourishing food at school. As minister, he created Manitoba’s universally accessible school nutrition program, so no child will go hungry at school ever again. Our government is going to make sure this food program can never be taken away by enshrining it in legislation. We plan on calling this bill ‘Nello’s Law’.

When I think about the legacy of my friend and colleague, I think of all the families living in The Maples who send their kids to school every day. Some of them are fortunate enough to give their children a good, healthy breakfast every day, and others need a little bit of help. As Premier Kinew often says: “Government can’t do everything, but we can do something”.

Thanks to Nello, our classrooms will be happier and healthier places where children can focus on learning. This will benefit all of us. In just one generation, no one coming out of our K-12 schools will remember a time when children went to school hungry. I can’t think of a better legacy for a lifelong educator like Nello to leave behind.

Our government is continuing Nello’s work to make our schools the best they can be for Manitoba students. In the mandate given to me as minister of public service delivery, I have been tasked with building new schools and maintaining our existing school buildings to ensure our children have the best environment to learn.

Just as Nello was a true public servant and championed the values of education and community, I am determined to promote efficiency, transparency and accessibility within our government operations. Our team will keep working to carry forward the spirit of service and dedication that my friend and colleague, Nello, embodied so wholeheartedly.