OTTAWA, May 17, 2004 -- The Honourable Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today revealed the name of the winner of the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004. This year's winner of the nation-wide contest is Krystal Murray, age 18, a recent graduate of Harrison Trimble High School in Moncton.Jenny Dwyer, age 16, from St. Kevin's High School, in Goulds, Newfoundland and Labrador, took second place, and Andres Avila, 17, of École secondaire Dorval, in Dorval, Québec, was third."Once again this year, we were very impressed by the wonderful quality of the entries we received," said Minister Chalifour Scherrer. "Thanks to the talent and creativity of these young artists, we can all share in an important moment in our country's history."The Canada Day Poster Challenge, which was launched in 1987, invites young Canadians aged 18 and younger from every part of the country to express their vision of Canada. Every year, a finalist is chosen by the Celebrate Canada Committee in each province and territory. The drawings of the 13 finalists are then presented to a jury that selects the one that best illustrates the theme chosen for the year.Krystal Murray's poster was chosen from among 8,300 entries to be the Official Poster for Canada Day 2004. The theme for the 2004 Poster Challenge was: Acadia: First Dialogues - The Meeting of Two Worlds. When asked to describe her drawing, Krystal Murray provided these words to New Brunswick's Celebrate Canada Committee: "My poster reflects the arrival of the French explorers in North America, the first meetings with Aboriginal people and the history of the Acadians. It reflects the wealth and diversity of Canada's heritage, and is an expression of the pride I feel for my culture and my country."Accompanied by a member of each of their families, Krystal Murray and the finalists from each province and territory will attend the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill on July 1. They will join thousands of fellow Canadians who will be there to celebrate Canada's 137th anniversary.Thanks to the involvement of the Canadian Embassy in France, Krystal Murray and one of her parents will enjoy a 7-day trip to France, during which she will take part in many activities commemorating the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Acadia.The finalists from each province and territory in the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004 were:Krystal Murray, 18, New BrunswickJenny Dwyer, 16, Newfoundland and LabradorAndres Avila, 17, QuébecChristine Weera, 16, AlbertaLindsay Nichole Arnott, 17, British ColumbiaEmily McMillan, 14, Prince Edward IslandLarissa Scrimshaw, 17, ManitobaPiper Campbell, 11, Nova ScotiaVincent Desforges, 11, NunavutFelix Lau, 17, OntarioCeleste Rybinski, 17, SaskatchewanJessica Hill, 16, Northwest TerritoriesHeidi O'Connor-Brook, 11, Yukon The Department of Foreign Affairs, Parks Canada, the Trans Canada Trail Foundation, the Royal Canadian Mint, and the Canadian Museum of Civilization are proud partners of the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004.Copies of the winning poster are available at Celebrate Canada Committee offices located in every province and territory. The addresses and telephone numbers of these Committee offices can be found on the Canadian Heritage Web site at: www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/canada. Information:Mylène DupéréPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Canadian Heritage(819) 997-7788
