Strong. Proud. Free.: Get Ready to Celebrate Canada 150!

BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 23, 2015) - Department of Canadian Heritage

The Government of Canada has announced details of its preparations for celebrating the 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017-a pivotal milestone in our nationhood in what is set to be an exceptional year for Canadians and our country.
Momentum continued to build on the Road to 2017 as the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today launched the Government of Canada's plans and vision for Canada 150 and invited Canadians to join in the exciting journey.

Through Canada 150, the Government of Canada will provide a framework and investments designed to get Canadians involved-not simply by taking part in national, regional or local events and initiatives, but by actively contributing ideas and energy. Through a new program launching today, the Canada 150 Fund, the Government will make strategic investments in activities that support the Canada 150 vision and engage Canadians directly. This includes Community-driven events as well as Signature Initiatives that are national in scope. Canadians are also invited to give back to our country through gifts of time, generosity and civic action, within and across our communities.

Minister Glover also unveiled the Canada 150 Logo, a new national and recognizable icon intended to evoke feelings of pride, unity and celebration. Underlining the Government's commitment to Canadians' active engagement in celebrating Canada 150, the winning logo was created by Ariana Cuvin, age 19, from the University of Waterloo in Ontario following a nationwide design competition. The logo, which depicts a series of diamonds arranged in the shape of a maple leaf, will become a unifying symbol of the Canada 150 movement, a lasting reminder of our proudest moments along the journey.

In addition to providing strategic investments through the new Canada 150 Fund, the Government will work to connect community leaders, ideas and resources across the federal government and the private, not-for-profit and public sectors to maximize the impact and reach of Canada 150 initiatives.

Quick Facts

About Canada 150 programming:

• The overarching theme of Canada 150 is "Strong. Proud. Free." The Canada 150 vision is to Give Back to Canada, including through lasting legacies that extend beyond 2017; Honour the Exceptional; and Celebrate and Bring Canadians Together. The vision will be achieved by making strategic investments in activities that align with these aspirations.
• As announced in Budget 2015, a total of $210 million over four years, starting in 2015-16, will support activities, events and celebrations across Canada.
• Canada 150 programming will aim to make the most of government investments and generate economic spin-offs for communities of all sizes across the country.
• Canada 150 programming will reflect Canada's proud identity, its rich history and heritage, and its linguistic, ethnic, cultural and regional diversity.

About the logo:

• The Canada 150 Logo Design Contest ran from December 5, 2014, to January 23, 2015. The contest was open to Canadian students 18 and over enrolled in a post-secondary program in Canada.
• Students were asked to submit a design that evoked pride, unity and celebration and reflected Canada as a diverse nation with a rich past and a promising future.
• The logo will be featured in all Government of Canada activities and material related to Canada 150.

Quotes

"From coast to coast to coast, Canadians of all ages and backgrounds will have a unique opportunity to celebrate our great nation and give something back to Canada. Our Government is dedicated to ensuring that all Canadians and their communities are an integral part of the celebrations by organizing and participating in local, regional and national activities in a country that is Strong, Proud and Free.

"I would like to congratulate Ariana Cuvin, who created the winning design for the Canada 150 Logo Contest. Canadian students heard our call to be part of history in the making, and their response was awe-inspiring. We are grateful to all those who submitted designs for consideration."

-The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

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Backgrounder

The 150^th anniversary of Confederation is a truly special occasion for Canadians to connect with our past, celebrate our achievements and build future legacies. It is an opportunity to reflect on and deepen our sense of what it means to be Canadian, as well as to inspire a new era of optimism and pride across the country. Canada is Strong, Proud and Free, and it is worth celebrating.

Canada 150 also represents a key moment for citizens, communities, non-governmental organizations and businesses to show their appreciation and make their own contributions to Canada. Leading up to and during 2017, Canadians will be encouraged to make a gift to Canada that will have lasting effects on Canadian life for generations to come.

Theme and Vision

The Government of Canada will bring Canadians together with a common purpose. The Canada 150 overarching theme is "Strong. Proud. Free."-words that define and characterize present-day Canada. A Canada that is a strong leader in the world, with one of the most robust economies. A Canada that is proud of its identity and achievements, as well as its natural beauty and resources. A Canada that is free with an open, diverse and pluralistic society. This theme connects us with our past, embraces the present, and builds towards the future.

The Canada 150 vision includes three elements:

• Giving Back to Canada: Canadians will be challenged to dream about what the future holds for the next 150 years, and to give back to our country, providing meaningful change and lasting legacies for future generations.
• Honouring the Exceptional: Exceptional Canadian people, places, achievements and events will be showcased to help shape Canada's leaders of tomorrow.
• Celebrating and Bringing Canadians Together: Canadians and their communities will have opportunities to celebrate together and build a deeper understanding of Canada, its people and what it means to be Canadian.

Canada 150 programming will support and promote activities that align with this vision.

Engaging Canadians

Canadians are excited to mark this milestone and many communities are taking the initiative to plan in advance. Through Canada 150, the Government of Canada will provide a framework for the 150^th anniversary, but it is Canadians who will play a central role in these celebrations, from the bold and innovative ideas they put forward, to the volunteers required to run community-driven events, to strategic corporate investment and support.

Canada 150 Fund

Through the Canada 150 Fund, the Government of Canada will make strategic investments totalling $210 million in activities that support the Canada 150 vision and engage Canadians directly. The Canada 150 Fund will support activities that:

• Encourage participants to give back to Canada through gifts of time and energy, in ways that leave a legacy for the future;
• Provide Canadians with opportunities to actively participate and/or celebrate together, promoting and building a deeper understanding of Canada, its people and what it means to be Canadian; and
• Recognize and promote exceptional Canadian people, places, achievements and events that continue to shape our country.

Communities will be supported in celebrating Canada 150 in ways that are unique and meaningful to them. These Community-driven activities will provide opportunities for Canadians to participate in activities that contribute to building a sense of pride about Canada. Community-driven proposals will be considered through a competitive process that opened today. [[Canada 150 Fund]]

A limited number of high-impact, large-scale projects that are national in scope will also be supported through the Canada 150 Fund as Signature Initiatives. Proposals may be considered for Canada 150 Signature Initiatives if they are: specifically designed to celebrate Canada 150; national in scope and reach; unique and innovative; and participation-oriented. Signature initiatives will also be considered through a competitive process that opened today. [[Canada 150 Fund]]

Anchor events

The Government of Canada will support world-class celebration events across the country. These events will create opportunities for shared experience through large-scale gatherings in major centres.

The Road to 2017

Since 2012, the Government of Canada has been planning and building momentum toward Canada 150 by highlighting historic nation-building milestone anniversaries. These are helping build knowledge and understanding of our shared history and the remarkable story of our country, and are setting the stage for extraordinary celebrations in 2017. These milestones have included the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, the anniversaries of the First and Second World Wars, the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald and the 50^th anniversary of the National Flag.