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2004 Testimonials

Krystal Murray,
Age 18,
Grand Barachois, New Brunswick

Dear Canada Day Organizing Committee:

First, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004. Thank you very much! I am very fortunate and excited to have been chosen as the first place winner for the province of New Brunswick. Then, to top it off, being chosen as the National Winner sure was incredible!

It has been the highlight and turning point of my entire career as a young artist to have been chosen as the National Winner of the Poster Challenge 2004 and also to have experienced the stardom feeling all summer long. It was a very rewarding experience and by far my greatest achievement ever. I would like to wish the same for every young Canadian artist who participates in this contest.

The previous year, I had entered the Poster Challenge and was awarded second place for New Brunswick. It was indeed a great honour and an exciting experience. But this year, I decided that I would try for first place and worked very hard to produce my Acadian poster. And I achieved just that!

With a very interesting theme such as "Acadia: First Dialogues-The Meeting of Two Worlds," this was an even more exciting challenge for me, as I felt I could get deeply involved. I'm a true Acadian at heart, born on August 15 (National Acadian Day), and I felt I had to once again prove myself by discovering more about who I was and where I came from. Who are the Acadians? All the work, effort and time I put in doing research and creating my poster helped me learn a lot, and it gave me the opportunity to discover more about my ancestors, their cultural background and their history spanning across the last 400 years. I was also privileged enough to get involved in that history by participating in the closing ceremony of the 3^rd Acadian World Congress in Halifax.

My invitation to Bayside on June 26 to sign my poster was very interesting because it gave me the chance to meet many remarkable people: some VIPs, such as Viola Léger, Xavier Darcosse, Wilfred LeBouthilier, to name a few. Many Acadians and Aboriginal people were there as well. It was the first time I saw the beautiful Ste-Croix Island, the site where the French settled in North America in 1604. What a thrill it was to see where they actually landed! It was just like the drawing in my poster!

In Ottawa on June 29, 30 and July 1, I was proud and thrilled to represent New Brunswick in the National Capital Region by celebrating Canada Day with thousands of other Canadians on Parliament Hill. From the Museum of Civilization to the guided tours of the city, the National Gallery and the concert at Rideau Hall, I was also excited and thrilled to be among all the other provincial finalists and their parents. We all had the one goal of proudly representing our country with our posters, depicting this year's theme. I hope to see all my fellow winners again so that we can relive all the good times we had during our vacation in Ottawa. July 1 was even more significant to me because I had the privilege of meeting Prime Minister Paul Martin and presenting a bouquet of flowers to our Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, during the Noon Show ceremonies. I also met the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, inside Parliament at a gathering afterwards. Just taking part in the Canada Day celebrations and seeing my poster everywhere (programs, cards, etc.) was a thrill all by itself. To top it off, the fireworks were just awesome, as was everyone there showing their pride for our beautiful country.

However, the best part of my experience as the National Winner of the Poster Challenge was my trip to Paris with my mother. I believe that all young Canadians should go and discover another world just like I did. I am very proud that I had this opportunity to share my views, pride and knowledge of Acadian history with all of Canada through my poster.

My winning poster gave me the chance to spend time in France with my mother, Monette Léger. Setting off on an adventure to discover a new world was everything I could have ever dreamt of. The time I spent with her in Paris gave us an opportunity to expand our cultural horizons as we visited the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Élysées, the Opéra, Notre Dame de Paris, Sacré-Cœur, the Moulin Rouge, Les Galeries Lafayette and the Pont Alma. We also went on a bus tour and took a boat cruise on the Seine River. We even met two young artists from Calgary, and we sketched together at the Louvre Museum.

All of this to tell you that I am delighted to have had the chance to attend the opening celebrations of the 400^th anniversary of Acadia on June 26 in Bayside (for the signing of my winning poster), and then to go to Ottawa for June 29, 30 and July 1, 2004, to take part in the Canada Day activities and celebrations.

These were very wonderful and memorable moments that we will treasure for a long time. I wish to thank everyone who organized this wonderful event, as well as the entire Canada Day committee!

Long live the Acadians! Long live Acadia! And long live Canada!

Thank you very much,

Merci beaucoup,

Acadianly,

Krystal Lynn Murray

Canada Day Poster Challenge 2004, Grand Prize Winner

The Trip of a Lifetime.

Day one, June 29, 2004, we arrived in Ottawa! Our plane was delayed one and a half-hours, so we didn't leave Edmonton until 9:30 that morning. That put us in Ottawa at 3:00 that afternoon Ottawa time. My mom and I were tired. When we arrived at Ottawa International Airport we caught the shuttle bus to Les Suites Hotel. We got to the hotel, then we had to meet in the lobby where we met the other finalists from across Canada. After everyone arrived, we got on a bus and went to the museum of Civilization, where they gave us a tour and showed where our posters were hanging for display. They were in the children museum ( which was in the museum of Civilization building). It was so exciting to see everyone's poster. Then we had a tour of the Acadian display. After that, they held a banquet where we got to know everyone a little bit more. They had live entertainment, speaker and presenters. They also had us do a some skits with the Junkyard Symphony, which was totally fun. They also presented each finalist with lots of gifts, by the time we were done we were all tired, we had lots of fun.

Day two, June 30, 2004, we all met down in the lobby. When everyone arrived, we went on a tour of the city. We went on a double decker bus, where we all sat on the top floor. Our tour guide was funny. We saw the First Prime Minister house, Sir John A. Macdonald. Then we saw Rideau Canal, were if you went in the wintertime, you could skate to work. Ottawa in one of my favourite cities. After the bus ride we went to the National Art Gallery where we had a tour and saw artwork from Picasso to works by the Group of Seven. Then we had free passes to a clown exhibit. Now I am scared of clowns. You almost need two days to see everything in the gallery. Then that evening we went to the Governor General's garden party. We had a tour of the Ridau Hall. I loved the ballroom. After our tour there was a concert, Spirit of the West and Shay. We got to sit in the V.I.P. section.

Day three, July 1, 2004, it's Canada Day! We went to Parliament Hill for the day. We had a reception in the morning where we met the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Each finalist got a certificate. We went out and sat in the V.I.P. section to watch the ceremonies on Parliament Hill. I thought the host of the ceremonies was great. Then we went in and had a tour of the Parliament Building. We saw the Senate and The House of Commons. They had put on a reception for all the V.I.P.'s. Then that night my mom and I went to see the fireworks for Canada Day. There were so many people on Parliament Hill, just to see the fireworks. The fireworks were exciting and so was my trip.

This trip was great I will never forget it. I just want to say thank you for everything.

Thanks a lot.

Jessica Hill.

This was an awesome trip. Hard work and dedication pays off. Canada is an awesome country and to be able to experience a trip to Ottawa was fantastic. My daughter and I still laugh and talk about our adventures, from the delay at the airport to the funny tour guide on the double decker bus. My daughter never thought she would win a trip to Ottawa. She was so excited when she heard the news. We were all so excited for her, as well her school and community gave a lot of recognition. It was really a wonderful experience.

Everyone at Canadian Heritage went out of their way to make my visit to Ottawa a memorable one. Not only was the trip fun, it was also meaningful. Everything I had learned while researching my poster's design and content was reinforced by the events we took part in. Its a unique privilege to experience Canada Day the way my family and I did on Parliament Hill.

We had four unforgettable days in Ottawa each one filled with tons of activities. It was great to meet families from each of the provinces and territories. The staff at Canadian Heritage put a lot of thought and planning and hard work into our visit and we really appreciate it.

We were treated amazingly well, especially at the welcome reception, with special food, music, entertainment and gifts. I was so proud to see my artwork displayed at the Museum of Civilization. My favorite gift was the Park Pass, which has allowed me to keep discovering and learning about our wonderful country.

The Canadian Heritage Poster Challenge is an opportunity like few others to see up close and behind the scenes what helps make our capital so unique. It gives participants a greater appreciation for both their country and their own artistic talent. It's a complete confidence builder - in nation and self.

Hard work and dedication always seem to pay off. All in all, representing Manitoba at a national event, in the nation's capital was quite a privilege. I encourage everyone to enter the upcoming challenge so that they too can experience the wonderful opportunities that await.

During my stay in Ottawa on Canada Day, I saw many historic sites, attended wonderful shows, receptions and tours which I very much enjoyed. Having experienced this, I would encourage parents and educational staff across Canada to inform young students about the Canada Day Poster Challenge. You can see from the winners this year they are from all age groups, backgrounds, and have different styles and ideas. This is what Canada is noted for, everyone has a great opportunity. That is shown through events such as the Canada Day Poster Challenge. So give yourself a chance "participate" it is a gift to yourself that will last a lifetime. Happy Canada Day every day.

2005

• Winner and Finalists
• Testimonials

2004

• Winner and Finalists