WHITEHORSE, April 6, 2004 -- The Honourable Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced the name of the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004 finalist for the Yukon. The winner is Heidi O'Connor-Brook, age 11, who is home schooled in Whitehorse. Monishia Thompson, age 14, placed second, and Gerry Coughlin, age 14, came in third. Both students attend Porter Creek Secondary School in Whitehorse. The contest results were revealed at a ceremony held at the Yukon Arts Centre."Thousands of young Canadians rose to the challenge to design a poster about the meeting of Aboriginal peoples and the first explorers--an important chapter in our collective history," said Minister Chalifour Scherrer. "Judging by the entries we received, it is clear that the values of sharing, communication, and respect play an important role in the lives of our young people." The theme of the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004 was "Acadia: First Dialogues -- The Meeting of Two Worlds." The contest allowed 33 participants in the Yukon to be transported back to the year 1604, when French explorers Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons and Samuel de Champlain landed in Acadia. The settlement founded by these explorers on Île Sainte-Croix, along the border between New Brunswick and Maine, is one of the first French colonies in North America. The design of one of the provincial or territorial finalists will be chosen as the official Canada Day poster and distributed throughout the country. The name of the national winner will be announced in June 2004. All the finalists and their escorts will be guests of the Minister of Canadian Heritage in Ottawa, on July 1, 2004, where they will join the thousands of other Canadians gathered on Parliament Hill to celebrate Canada's 137th birthday. The national winner, and his or her guardian, will receive a week-long trip to France courtesy of the Canadian Embassy in Paris, and will also participate in several activities to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Acadia.Proud partners of the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004 include the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Parks Canada, the Trans Canada Trail Foundation, the Royal Canadian Mint, and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.Information:Mylène DupéréPress Secretary Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage(819) 997-7788
