A surprise birthday party was held in Winnipeg for an Oxford House woman who turned 109.

Sarah Harper was surrounded by family, friends, and even Deputy Premier Kerri-Irvin Ross as she celebrated the occasion.

Harper, who’s spent all her life at the remote First Nation says her secret to a long life is kindness for others and respect for elders.

She says she used to care for a sick woman as a child, and the woman blessed her with a long life.