NEWS RELEASES
ONTARIO CELEBRATES CANADA'S YEAR OFASIA PACIFIC
September 4, 1997 No. 142
ONTARIO CELEBRATES CANADA'S YEAR OF
ASIA PACIFIC
The Honourable Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, on behalf of the
Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced today that a
series of events in Ontario have received funding as part of the cultural
component of Canada's Year of Asia Pacific (CYAP). Ms. Copps made the announcement
at the Royal Ontario Museum, during the opening of Masterpieces of 20th Century
Chinese Painting, an art exhibition featuring over 50 scroll paintings by artists
from China and Hong Kong.
CYAP cultural projects in Ontario have received over $430 000 in funding and range
from special events and visual arts exhibits to performances and workshops. In
addition to cultural projects already underway, over the coming months a series of
cultural projects travelling across the country and from abroad will also visit
the province.
"I am very pleased to be announcing these projects today, which are bringing
Canada's Year of Asia Pacific to life in Ontario," said Ms. Copps. "This special
year of activity celebrates Canada's ties to the region and is an opportunity to
showcase Canada's cultural sector, as well as leading artists from Asia Pacific.
The CYAP cultural program recognizes the contribution of Canada's cultural
industries to strengthening both our commercial and cultural links to Asia
Pacific."
Ms. Copps also noted that other prominent CYAP events will take place in Toronto
this fall.
Fishing Baskets of Asia Pacific, at the York Quay Gallery from September 5 to 26,
will feature contemporary hand-crafted fishing baskets, nets and crafts from
across the region. The exhibition explores fishing culture and materials and
highlights the economic importance of fishing to the lives of people in Asia
Pacific. The exhibition opened this summer in Lunenburg and will travel to
Victoria in October.
The Indian dancer Chandralehka, her dancers and musicians will conduct an
extensive Canadian tour this fall with performances in Toronto at the Premier
Dance Theatre from November 4 to 8. Ms. Chandralehka will create a collaborative
work with Toronto Dance Theatre,
which will be premiered from December 2 to 13. A leading interpreter of classical
Indian and modern dance, Ms. Chandralehka is recognized as one of the most
important voices on the contemporary Indian cultural scene.
CYAP funding will also support The Energy of Asian Design, a major exhibit of the
best of contemporary Asian design, on October 17 at Harbourfront Centre.
"Canada's ties to Asia Pacific are strong. These ties are reflected in many ways,
especially in the growing trade, investment and cultural links between our country
and the economies of the region," said Mr. Axworthy. "Canada's Year of Asia
Pacific will help strengthen and expand our relationship with this important
region by promoting increased business opportunities, youth involvement and
cultural exchanges."
The Government of Canada has designated 1997 as Canada's Year of Asia Pacific in
honour of its role as this year's chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) forum. Activities planned across the country throughout the year include
business and trade seminars at the local and national level, cultural and youth
events, as well as a series of APEC ministerial meetings. CYAP will culminate in
the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November, when the Prime Minister will host
economic leaders from Asia Pacific in Vancouver.
Ontario will take on an even greater role in these activities as host of the APEC
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Ministerial Meeting and SME Business Forum
and Exposition, to be held September 17-19 in Ottawa.
Funding for these projects has been provided for in the February 1997 federal
budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.
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A list of upcoming Ontario CYAP-funded events is attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
Ruth Wieder
CYAP Regional Media Coordinator
(416) 484-7770
This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Upcoming Ontario CYAP-Funded Projects
Sept. 1 - 5
|
Toronto |
Toronto Tabla Workshop and
CD ROM
A musical workshop with
Tabla Maestro Sri Swapan
Chaudhuri. A CD ROM was
produced on the joys and
working of the classical
rhythmic systems of north
India. |
Toronto Tabla Ensemble
(416) 653-1182 |
Sept. 13
|
Guelph |
Harvest Festival
Celebrating the arts of the
Vietnamese and Chinese
Communities. |
Guelph and District
Multicultural Centre
(519) 836-2222 |
Sept. 13
|
Mississauga |
Thai Rambutan Harvest
Festival |
Thai Society of Ontario
(905) 569-1709 |
Sept. 14
|
Scarborough |
Chi Ping Dance Group
Day-long festival with many
attractions including photo
exhibition. |
Chi Ping Dance Group
(416) 756-0885 |
Sept. 18
|
London |
An exhibition of visual art
and poetry
Curated by Asian artists, this
exhibition examines the
symbolic and literal
meanings of food in Asian
culture. |
McIntosh Gallery
(519) 661-3181 |
Sept. 19
|
Toronto |
Hai Feng Performs Pearls of
Asia Pacific
Musical performance by
Prof. Chan Ka-ning's Hai
Feng Chamber Ensemble |
Toronto Canadian Chinese
Artists' Centre
(416) 733-8900 |
Sept. 19 - 20
|
Scarborough |
Canada's Year of Asia
Pacific Convention |
Scarborough-York Region
Chinese Business Assoc.
(416) 502-9720 |
Sept. 19
|
Sudbury |
Contemporary Films of Asia
Pacific |
Cinéfest |
Sept. 20 - 22
|
Hamilton |
Arts Festival
Features visual art exhibition
and film screening. |
Hamilton and Region Arts
Council
(905) 529-9485 |
Sept. 27
|
Toronto |
M-DO Presents Solo Evening
of Dance
Performance of Kathak dance
by artistic director, Joanna
Das. |
M-DO
(416) 967-0151 |
Sept. - Nov. |
London |
The Culture of Food
Exhibition, lectures,
screenings, readings and
installation. |
University of Western
Ontario
(519) 661-3440 |
Sept. 2 - Nov. 2
|
Oakville |
Visual Art Exhibition
Featuring a new installation
by Korean artist Soo-Ja Kim. |
Oakville Galleries
(905) 844-4402 |
Sept. 20 - Oct. 5 |
Scarborough |
Reflections
An exhibition to celebrate
Asian arts and crafts people
in Scarborough.
|
The Scarborough Arts
Council
(416) 292-4462 |
Oct. 1 - 31
|
Ottawa |
Prelude to Prosperity:
Chinese Pioneers from 1881
to 1997, and beyond.
A multi-media project with
photography exhibit. |
Chinese Canadian National
Council
(613) 733-4272 |
Oct. 1
|
Waterloo |
The East Asian Autumn
Festival |
Renison College
(519) 884-4404 |
Oct. 1
|
Toronto |
Vietnamese Festival of Music
and Dance |
Society of Vietnamese-Canadian Professionals
(416) 592-4695 |
Oct. 1
|
Toronto |
A History of Chinese in
Canada Web Page
A multi-media photo gallery
on the history of the Chinese-Canadian community. |
Chinese Canadian National
Council
(416) 596-0833 |
Oct. 15 |
Toronto |
Pancha Kalyanaka from the
Life of Mahavira
Indian dance performance |
Janak Khendry Dance Co.
(416) 968-1823 |
For a complete list of projects in Ontario, visit the CYAP cultural Web site at: www.cyap.com.
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