The 150th Anniversary of Confederation in 2017: Time for Youth and Active Living!

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwired - May 25, 2016) - Department of Canadian Heritage

During an outdoor canoeing activity today at Kiwanis Memorial Park in Saskatoon, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, accompanied by the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, reiterated the Government of Canada's vision for the 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. She also announced funding for a Pan-Canadian Signature project.

According to Minister Joly, the 150^th anniversary of Confederation gives the Government of Canada an opportunity to engage and inspire Canadians in their communities. It is also a time to come together to celebrate our shared values, our achievements, our majestic environment and our place in the world.

The vision seeks to bring people together and inspire them. It will feature themes focusing on diversity and inclusion, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, youth and the environment.

To make 2017 a memorable year of celebrations for all Canadians, Minister Joly today confirmed that the Government of Canada will continue to invest in Canada-wide, regional and local projects to increase Canadians' awareness and invite them to participate in the many events taking place throughout the year.

ParticipACTION: the Ultimate List of 150 Canadian Physical Activities

Minister Joly took the opportunity to announce funding of $5.4 million for ParticipACTION for the ParticipACTION 150 Play List project. She was accompanied by the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities; Elio Antunes, President and CEO of ParticipACTION; and representatives from ParticipACTION's 150 Play List premier partners: Marianne Harrison, President and CEO of Manulife Canada, and Gary Maavara, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Corus. Chevrolet Canada is also excited to be a premier partner.

This investment will enable ParticipACTION to challenge all Canadians to try out 150 unique physical activities that define us as Canadian. In October 2016, Canadians will be asked to help choose the 150 physical activities across sport, recreation and daily life that should be included on the list, from basketball to snow shovelling. In January 2017, the ParticipACTION 150 Play List will launch. Through a digital platform and more than 100 community events, Canadians will be challenged to complete as many physical activities on the list as possible. They will be able to track their efforts online, find out how their efforts compare to those of other Canadians, and earn rewards along the way.

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Quick Facts

• The main themes of the Government of Canada's vision for the 150^th anniversary of Confederation are diversity and inclusion, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, the environment and youth.
• The Canada 150 Fund was established in April 2015. It has an overall budget of $210 million.
• Through the fund, the Government of Canada will continue to make strategic investments in activities that support the vision of the 150^th anniversary and encourage Canadians to participate directly.
• ParticipACTION is a national non-profit organization that helps Canadians sit less and move more. ParticipACTION works with its partners-which include sport, physical activity and recreation organizations, government, and corporate sponsors-to make physical activity a vital part of everyday life.

Quotes

"The 150^th anniversary of Confederation is a unique opportunity for young Canadians to get involved in shaping the Canada of tomorrow. I encourage all Canadians to get involved in our country's future by focusing on a healthy way of life and leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come. The ParticipACTION 150 Play List is a project that brings people together and engages young men and women who share the goal of staying healthy. Let's all take part and get active!"

-The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"I've seen firsthand the power that sport and physical activity have to change lives. The ParticipACTION 150 Play List, which celebrates the 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, is a great and unique opportunity for Canadians to get active by challenging themselves and their family and friends in very fun ways through physical activity and sport. A more active and inclusive Canada is a stronger Canada-and there's no better time to demonstrate that than over the next year of nationwide celebrations."

-The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

"Whether you live in a small fishing village or a big urban centre, being active outdoors is part of what it means to be Canadian. With the support of our partners, the ParticipACTION 150 Play List will proudly showcase all the ways in which we move, fostering community connectedness and national pride, and encouraging active healthy living. This is all part of our goal to help Canadians sit less and move more."

-Elio Antunes, President and CEO of ParticipACTION

"The list of physical activities will be created by Canadians for Canadians of all ages, cultures and parts of the country. We support ways that encourage Canadians to live healthy lives, and we challenge all Canadians to take part in as many of these 150 unique physical activities as they can."

-Marianne Harrison, President and CEO of Manulife Canada

"Corus is very proud to support and celebrate ParticipACTION's 150 Play List as the exclusive media partner of the program-together with Quebecor Media, who will amplify the initiative in the Quebec market. By harnessing the power of our media assets to champion the ParticipACTION 150 Play List, we can play an important role in encouraging Canadians to make physical activity a part of their daily lives. This adds to the broad range of programs that form part of the Corus healthy active living focus."

-Gary Maavara, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Corus

"Chevrolet is thrilled to team up with ParticipACTION and its partners across the country to bring the ParticipACTION 150 Play List to life in communities from coast to coast to coast. As Canadians, we live in one of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in the world, with so many spaces and places to get active. This is all part of our long-term commitment to communities, strengthening the fabric of our nation."

- John Roth, Vice President of Sales, Service & Marketing at Chevrolet

Associated Links

Canada 150

Community Infrastructure Program

Canada 150 logo and typeface

ParticipACTION

ParticipACTION 150 Play List

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Backgrounder

The 150^th Anniversary of Confederation in 2017

Our strength: our diversity. Our pride: our sense of the future.

Canadians throughout the country, as well as those living abroad, will proudly take part in the celebrations marking the 150^th anniversary of Confederation. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that it means to be Canadian. The Government of Canada is proud to be part of this anniversary of national and historic importance. It plans to:

• promote and celebrate our Canadian identity; our ethnic, linguistic, cultural and regional diversity; and our rich history and heritage;
• encourage Canadians to invest in our country's future by bringing about significant changes and leaving a lasting legacy for coming generations;
• create opportunities for Canadians to participate and celebrate together our shared values, our Canadian identity, our achievements, our majestic environment and our place in the world; and
• maximize government investments and generate economic benefits for the country's communities.

The main themes of the Government of Canada's vision for the 150^th anniversary of Confederation are:

• Diversity and inclusion - We want to continue building a welcoming Canada where there is a place for everyone, a Canada where everyone can reach his or her full potential.
• Reconciliation from with Indigenous peoples - We want to support the vital work of reconciliation ‎with Indigenous peoples as outlined in the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Reconciliation is a journey for all Canadians as we move forward into Canada's next 150 years.
• Youth - We want to continue to engage young people and give them the means to contribute to our society, because they are the ones who will shape tomorrow's Canada.
• Environment - We want to be the custodians of our environment, because it is a source of our country's wealth and pride. We want to bring Canadians closer to nature in order to strengthen their environmental awareness.

The Canada 150 Fund

• The Canada 150 Fund was established in April 2015. It has an overall budget of $210 million.

The Canada 150 logo and typeface

• The Canada 150 logo and the Canada 150 typeface are available to all Canadians, as well as to organizations and businesses that would like to use them on their products.

Federal partners

Federal departments and agencies will prepare activities to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Confederation under their own programs-such as issuing commemorative coins or postage stamps, or other activities to be announced in the coming months.

In 2017, we will commemorate several other important events that will add to the celebration of the 150^th anniversary of Confederation. These include the centennial of the battles of Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele; the 125^th anniversary of the Stanley Cup; the centennial of the National Hockey League; the 75^th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid; and the 50^th anniversary of the Canada Games.