November 12, 1996
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

Minister Sandra Kelly to open "LABRADOR - on the Edge" - Largest Labrador Cultural Exhibition

Sandra Kelly, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, will be in Toronto this evening to open the largest exhibition of Labrador sculpture, fine art, crafts, and performances titled LABRADOR - On the Edge. The exhibition will take place from November 12 - 15 in the prestigious CBC Atrium Building, 250 Front Street West, Toronto.

For the opening ceremonies Ms. Kelly will use the Inuit women's Ullu knife to cut a ribbon of canvas. The gesture of cutting the ribbon is that of opening the doors and welcoming fellow Canadians to come experience the beauty and rich cultural heritage of Labrador. "The fabric and Ullu knife used is symbolic of the `cultural fabric' of Labrador that is intertwined with the daily lives and traditions of the Inuit, the Innu, the Metis and the settlers of Labrador." said Ms. Kelly.

LABRADOR - On the Edge will officially open 7 p.m. tonight to be followed by the first of four nightly performances. On stage will be Labrador balladeer, Harry Martin, Innu band, Michikamau, Iron-mining town band, Labrador Black Spruce, and Inuit singer, Beatrice Hope. Featured each night will be the one-woman play about Elizabeth Goudie, Woman of Labrador.

Over a four-day period, visitors to this show will have the opportunity to savour the sights, sounds, and tastes of Labrador. An array of leading artists, musicians, and personalities of Inuit, Metis, and Settler ancestry will delight visitors to the main concourse (Atrium) of the new CBC Broadcast Centre.

"Labrador is one of our last undiscovered national treasures. Many new developments are taking place or are on the verge of taking place." Ms. Kelly said. "Everyone is invited to this exhibition to sample the culture and artistic distinctiveness that is Labrador, a place set apart: on the edge."

Contact: Gillian Marx, (709) 729-2832.