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Tourism, Culture and Recreation
March 4, 2010

The following is being distributed at the request of The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador:

The Rooms Receives $2.5 Million from Husky Energy;
Largest Gift Ever Made to a Cultural Institution in Atlantic Canada

The Rooms Corporation makes history today in announcing a major corporate gift of $2.5 million from Husky Energy (Husky), the largest gift ever presented to a cultural institution in Atlantic Canada. To mark this contribution, The Rooms fourth level museum gallery will be named The Husky Energy Gallery.

"This is truly a remarkable and historical moment for all of us at The Rooms," said Dean Brinton, CEO, The Rooms Corporation. "On behalf of the Board of Directors, the management, staff and volunteers of The Rooms and, indeed, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, we send a very big thank you to Husky Energy."

"Husky Energy recognizes the importance of the arts and culture in shaping a community's identity," said John C.S. Lau, Husky Energy President and CEO. "By investing in The Rooms, we believe we are investing in the preservation of the Newfoundland and Labrador culture and creating a legacy for future generations."

Upon completion of The Husky Energy Gallery, the 5,600 square foot museum space will present a semi-permanent exhibition titled the Cultural Tapestry of Newfoundland and Labrador (Cultural Tapestry exhibition). The exhibition will showcase the province's priceless ethnological and historical artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries; provide the provincial orientation point for the history and culture of our province as experienced by the Inuit, Innu, Mi'kmaq, Metis, European and other settlers; and, trace 300 plus years of the peoples of the province through a tapestry of artifacts, historical documents, and historic and contemporary art from the province and around the world.

Mr. Brinton added that in the five short years since The Rooms opened, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador have embraced it as an emblem of their passion and pride of place. "This fierce sense of cultural identity which resonates in the people of our province is represented in everything we do at The Rooms. This historic gift from Husky Energy is a testament to the role which The Rooms plays in our community and to the significance of the work we do in preserving this identity for future generations. We are very grateful to be recognized in such a significant manner by a leader in community giving."

Construction work on The Husky Energy Gallery will commence in July 2010 with anticipated opening of the Cultural Tapestry exhibition in 2013.

The Rooms is Atlantic Canada's largest cultural institution encompassing The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, Archives and Museum. Its mandate is to collect, research, exhibit, educate, and develop the province's cultural and historical treasures into a constant source of information and inspiration for all residents and visitors.

Husky Energy is an integrated energy and energy-related company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the company is involved in the exploration and development of offshore oil and gas and is the operator of the White Rose oil field.

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Deanne Fisher
Director of Marketing and Development
The Rooms Corporation
709-757-8070, 631-0835
deannefisher@gov.nl.ca
Colleen McConnell
Senior Communications Advisor
Husky Energy
709-724-3504

2010 03 04                                                      11:20 a.m.
 


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