SAINT-LÉONARD, Quebec, March 31, 2008 - Monica-Feb Slaney, aged 13 years, from Dante School in Saint-Léonard, is the provincial Canada Day Poster Challenge 2008 finalist for Quebec. This year's theme was My Canada Today!
Luc Harvey, Member of Parliament (Louis-Hébert), on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, today announced the provincial finalist, as well as regional winners by age category.
"Throughout Canada, we celebrate the creativity and talent of our young people. Their artwork beautifully reflects our identity, our history, and how these young artists see the future. The 400th anniversary of Québec City, which we are commemorating this year, represents a great opportunity to celebrate where we come from and who we are today," said Minister Verner.
"This year, more than 1000 students from Quebec participated in the Cana da Day Poster Challenge. In their posters, these young people have brilliantly shown what Canada represents for them," said Mr. Harvey.
This year, a total of 1077 young people, aged 5 to 18, from Quebec participated in this year's Poster Challenge. The provincial finalist was chosen from among four winners in the following age categories:
Ages 5 to 8: Sarah Eadie, age 8, École Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur, Chapeau (also a finalist in 2007)
Ages 9 to 11: Émélie Boivin, age 9, École John F. Kennedy, Laval
Ages 12 to 14: Monica-Feb Slaney, age 13, Dante School, Saint-Léonard (provincial winner)
Ages 15 to 18: Connie-Anne Lafferty, age 15, Westmount High Schoo l, Montréal
One of the 13 finalists' works, selected from all the provinces and territories, will be chosen to appear on the official 2008 Canada Day poster, which will be distributed across the country. The winning artist will be anno unced in May. In addition, the 13 provincial and territorial finalists will travel to Ottawa, where they will join thousands of other Canadians gathered on Parliament Hill to celebrate Canada Day. As a special feature this year, the finalists will continu e on to Québec City where, on July 3, they will take part in the big celebration of the city's 400th anniversary--a historic date for all of Canada and North America.
From June to September 2008, the 13 finalists' posters will be on di splay at the Canadian Children's Museum, located in the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec.
Initiated in 1987, the Canada Day Poster Challenge has become one of the most popular programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Winners will receive prizes from our official partners in the 2008 Poster Challenge: the Hudson's Bay Company (Hbc), the Trans Canada Trail, the Historica Foundation of Canada, the Dominion Institute, and the Canadian Children's Museum.
To find out more about the Canada Day Poster Challenge, visit
www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/affiche-poster
Information: Marie-Claude Cado rette
Manager, Communications
Quebec Region
Canadian Heritage,
514 283-4027
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
