VANCOUVER, BC – A new series of regional conferences are scheduled to start this week to help kickstart conversations across the country about how Canadians should celebrate our upcoming 150th anniversary in 2017.
CBC/Radio-Canada, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada and Community Foundations of Canada (CFC), are presenting the Canada 150/2017 Starts Now conference series, in collaboration with other local and national organizations. Developed to inform and inspire, Canada 150/2017 Starts Now begins in Vancouver on April 5. The conferences will be held in both official languages and will bring together citizens and leaders from communities across every region of the country, representing every facet of our diverse society.
“For over 75 years, the public broadcaster has been telling the stories that have shaped who we are as a country and as a people,” said Hubert T. Lacroix, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, in a release. “The 150th anniversary of Confederation is the time to celebrate those stories and look forward to those not yet told. We want to hear from Canadians from all parts of the country on how we can do that. With speakers joining us from academia, business, arts and culture, media, and community groups, the conversation is sure to be inspiring. We’re excited to kick things off and get the country talking.”
The roster of speakers for Friday’s inaugural conference in Vancouver features prominent Canadians from all walks of life, such as poet and critic Sonnet L’Abbé, recording artist Bif Naked, and Andrew Petter, president, Simon Fraser University. Ian Hanomansing of CBC News and Julie Landry from CBC Radio-Canada will act as conference hosts.
“This milestone is a key moment for our country, an opportunity to ask ‘What can we learn from the past 50 years?’ and ‘What do we want to achieve together in the next 50?’” said Ian Bird, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundations of Canada. “We can’t wait to participate in conversations from coast to coast and to host additional conversations in some of the 187 communities that are home to community foundations.”
The goal of the Canada 150/2017 Starts Now conferences is to inform, inspire and incubate local and regional projects and ideas to mark the country’s sesquicentennial, and to develop new ways to connect Canadians to national initiatives. Canadians will have the opportunity to watch the 12 Canada 150/2017 Starts Now conferences via live stream on the interactive digital platform at www.2017startsnow.ca starting April 5. Additionally, Canadians can participate in the conferences live by submitting questions and comments to @cbclive #Canada150 on Twitter.
CBC/Radio-Canada, VIA Rail and Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) are presenting the Canada 150/2017 Starts NOW series in collaboration with the following Canadian organizations: Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Canadian Cooperative Association, Canada Museums of Science and Technology; Federation of Canadian Municipalities; Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation/Arts Nation; Heritage Canada Foundation; Historica-Dominion Institute; imagiNation150 Calgary; Institute for Canadian Citizenship; Institute for the Public Administration of Canada; Luminato; Manifesto Community Projects; National Arts Centre; National Association of Friendship Centres; National Capital Commission; Prince Edward Island 2014; The Walrus Foundation; Trans Canada Trail; United Way of Canada; and YMCA Canada.
Canada 150/2017 Starts Now conference schedule:
- Vancouver: Friday, April 5
- Calgary: Friday, April 12
- Toronto: Friday, April 26
- Saskatoon: Wednesday, May 1
- Winnipeg: Friday, May 3
- Montreal: Wednesday, May 8
- Charlottetown: Tuesday, May 21
- Moncton: Thursday, May 23
- St. John’s: Monday, June 3
- Halifax: Tuesday, June 4
- Yellowknife & the North: Thursday, June 20
- Ottawa: Summary Event Thursday, June 27
