Minister Moore Announces National Winners of Canada Day Challenge 2013

GATINEAU, QC, May 30, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced that Kanika Lawton (Alberta), Mackenzie Bingle (Newfoundland and Labrador), and Sara Tressa Marré (Quebec) are the national winners of the newly expanded 2013 Canada Day Challenge. For the first time, the Canada Day Challenge includes three categories—Draw it!, Snap it!, and Write it!—with national winners in each category.

"I congratulate all the winners and thank everyone who participated in this year's Challenge. I am proud that these young Canadians have used the Challenge as an opportunity to display their creativity and explore Canada's history, culture, and identity," said Minister Moore. "On the road to Canada's 150^th birthday in 2017, the Challenge reminds us to celebrate all of the things that make Canada the united, strong, and free country we are today."

The 2013 official poster for Celebrate Canada will feature the winning artwork of each of the three national winners. They will also be invited to attend the country's biggest celebration, Canada Day 2013 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

From June to September 2013, Kanika's poster, Mackenzie's photograph, and Sara Tressa's writing—along with the entries submitted by the other six runners-up—will be on display at the Canadian Children's Museum at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. The winning entries can also be seen at www.challenge.pch.gc.ca.

The Canada Day Challenge is part of the Celebrate Canada program, which provides financial support to more than 1600 organizations for local activities organized during the Celebrate Canada period. This 11-day period from June 21 to July 1 includes celebrations for National Aboriginal Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and Canada Day on July 1.

INFORMATION SHEET

2013 Canada Day Challenge national winners and runners-up:

Draw it!

• National Winner: Kanika Lawton, age 17, Calgary, Alberta
• Runner-up: David Azarite-Wei, age 17, Winkler, Manitoba
• Runner-up: Jian Yu (Michelle) Wang, age 13, Toronto, Ontario

Snap it!

• National Winner: Mackenzie Bingle, age 17, Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Runner-Up: Zaphira Ey, age 10, Gold River, British Columbia
• Runner-Up: Georgi Hope-Rapp, age 8, Coalhurst, Alberta

Write it!

• National Winner: Sara Tressa Marré, age 14, Montréal, Quebec
• Runner-Up: Jonathan Jaspers, age 16, Houston, British Columbia
• Runner-Up: Olivia Annau, age 11, Hinton, Alberta

SOURCE: Canadian Heritage