Harper Government Announces 2012 Canada Day Poster Challenge National Winner

GATINEAU, QC, June 15, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced that Calvin Chan, of Markham, Ontario, is the national winner of the 2012 Canada Day Poster Challenge. Calvin's poster was selected from among thousands of entries from across Canada for his incredible representation of this year's theme, "1812: The Fight for Canada."

"Congratulations to Calvin Chan and the finalists from every province and territory," said Minister Moore. "I would like to thank all the young people who submitted their artwork and showed how important the War of 1812 was as a defining moment in our history."

"The hands in my poster represent all the different people whose bravery, loyalty and sacrifice helped to build the beautiful, golden country that is Canada today", said Calvin Chan when asked to explain the meaning of his poster design. "The War of 1812 is an important milestone in Canada's history because if we had lost, Canada would not be what it is today."

Calvin's design will become the official Celebrate Canada poster. As the national winner, he will receive a laptop computer and will spend one week in Ottawa with Encounters with Canada, Canada's largest youth forum. Second-place finalist Gabrielle Morrisseau, of Laval, Quebec, and third-place finalist Amber Butler, of Trenton, Nova Scotia, will each receive a laptop computer.

The national winner and the 12 finalists from the other provinces and territories will also each receive a week's visit to the Montréal and Niagara regions to visit War of 1812 National Historic Sites, courtesy of Parks Canada.

From June to September 2012, Calvin's poster, along with those of the 12 provincial and territorial finalists, will be on display at the Canadian Children's Museum at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. The winning posters can also be viewed at www.posterchallenge.pch.gc.ca.

The Poster Challenge is part of the Celebrate Canada program, which provides financial support to over 1,700 organizations for local activities organized during the Celebrate Canada period. This 11-day period from June 21 to July 1 includes celebrations for National Aboriginal Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and Canada Day on July 1.

INFORMATION SHEET

Finalists in the 2012 national Canada Day Poster Challenge:

• Calvin Chan, age 16, Markham, Ontario (national winner)
• Gabrielle Morrisseau, age 16, Laval, Quebec (2^nd place)
• Amber Butler, age 12, Trenton, Nova Scotia (3^rd place)
• Akshaya Lakshmi, age 12, Fort McMurray, Alberta
• Kevin Wu, age 14, Coquitlam, British Columbia
• Magdalena Szpakowski, age 11, Winnipeg, Manitoba
• SunMin Park, age 11, Riverview, New Brunswick
• Shauna Barton, age 15, Goulds, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Larrianna Michel, age 11, Behchoka, Northwest Territories
• Suzanne Qavavau, age 14, Taloyoak, Nunavut
• Sawini Fernando, age 16, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
• Jubille Magkasi, age 10, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• Yataya van Kampen, age 12, Whitehorse, Yukon

The official sponsors of the Poster Challenge are Parks Canada, Encounters with Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Canada Post, the Trans Canada Trail, and the Royal Canadian Mint.