Tourism, Culture and Recreation
March 11, 2010
Minister to Co-host
Atlantic Canadian Athletes at
Paralympic Winter Games Event in Whistler, B.C.
The Honourable Terry
French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation,
will co-host a luncheon for Atlantic Canadian athletes
and their families in Whistler, B.C. on Tuesday March
16, as part of activities around the Vancouver 2010
Paralympic Winter Games, to be held March 12-21.
Minister French will be joined by the Honourable Graydon Nicholas, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick;
and the Honourable Robert Vessey, Minister of Tourism
and Culture for Prince Edward Island. The event will be
held in the Emerald Ballroom at the Westin Resort and
Spa in Whistler, beginning at 11:00 a.m. (PST)
"We are pleased to help celebrate the presence of
Atlantic Canadian athletes at the 2010 Paralympic Winter
Games," said Minister French. "The achievements of these
athletes inspire us, and remind us that if we pursue our
dreams – no matter what the obstacles – there is no
limit to what we can accomplish."
Tuesday's luncheon will be emceed by interviewer,
performer, songwriter and video director Matt Wells, a
native of Mount Pearl, and a host of MuchMore Music. The
event will also feature Newfoundland and Labrador
entertainer Terry Kelly as a guest speaker.
Meanwhile, Minister French said that with the success
and popularity of Atlantic Canada House during the 2010
Olympic Winter Games, the pavilion has now moved to
Whistler for three days (March 15-17) of business
networking, food-tasting and entertainment during the
Paralympic Games. Activities will culminate in a St.
Patrick's Day showcase of tourism opportunities,
culture, music and cuisine designed to further highlight
Atlantic Canada both nationally and internationally.
Atlantic Canada House will be located at The Longhorn in
Whistler. Situated at the bottom of the Whistler and
Blackcomb Mountain gondolas, The Longhorn is central to
activities taking place both on the mountain and in the
village. During the day, Atlantic Canada House will
provide a culinary experience that includes a variety of
dishes from the provinces. In the evenings, there will
be entertainment featuring a number of musicians from
the East Coast, including Newfoundland and Labrador
musical group The Navigators.
Minister French noted that Newfoundland and Labrador is
also showing its support for the 2010 Paralympic Winter
Games with a presence at the medal ceremonies, and
various promotional activities taking place at
Paralympic venues and throughout the athletes' village.
Atlantic Canada House is a pan-Atlantic partnership
which includes the Government of Canada, represented by
ACOA, and the Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador,
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
Each province has contributed $65,000 to the
partnership, for a total of $230,000, with ACOA
providing a matching grant.
This is the first time the Paralympic Winter Games are
being held in Canada. State-of-the-art sporting venues
in Whistler and Vancouver will host 1,350 athletes and
team officials from 44 countries competing in five
sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ice sledge
hockey, wheelchair curling, and biathlon. For more
information on Atlantic Canada House activities during
the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Whistler, visit:
www.atlanticcanadahouse.com.
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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca
2010 03 11
10:35 a.m.