March 12, 1999
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

Province outlines plans to celebrate 50th anniversary on March 31

Charles Furey, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, announced today plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador's entry into confederation with Canada on March 31. The minister made the announcement at a news conference at the Colonial Building in St. John's.

"This is a significant milestone, and an excellent opportunity to showcase Newfoundland and Labrador entertainers and performers at a gala concert on March 31 at Memorial Stadium in St. John's," Minister Furey said. "It's a celebration for all the people of our province. We've invited all of Canada to visit us for our Soiree '99 celebrations, now we're encouraging Canadians to tune in to a celebration of Newfoundland and Labrador during the televised gala concert on March 31."

Speaking on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Senator Derek Lewis extended wishes for a successful year. "This is certainly a moment in history, and I am very pleased to be part of these special celebrations. I join you in inviting all Canadians to celebrate Canada with us throughout the year."

The lineup for the gala concert features actor Kevin Noble as Joey Smallwood, fiddler Kelly Russell, internationally-acclaimed jazz musician John Nugent, pop star Kim Stockwood, Labrador performer Harry Martin, the Ennis Sisters, Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers, the Irish Descendants, Folk of the Sea and actor Gordon Pinsent. Other performers include Felix and Formanger, the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble, the Atlantic String Quartet, Spirit of Newfoundland Dinner Theatre Troupe, Conne River Performing Troupe, the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir, the Divas (Shelley Neville, Sonya Gosse, Joanne Hounsell) as well as a 35-piece Gala Concert Orchestra and a host of other dancers, performers and musicians.

Tickets for the event cost $22 and go on sale Wednesday, March 17 at Memorial Stadium in St. John's. The show will be broadcast nationally on the CTV network on March 31, and again in prime time on April 1.

Minister Furey also took the opportunity to release the list of esteemed speakers and moderators taking part in Canada Conference '99, March 29-31, in St. John's. "This important conference deals with our past, present and future as a province, and as a nation, and it has attracted more than 30 prominent speakers from local, national and international backgrounds," the minister said. The list includes, among others, author John Ralston Saul, former Icelandic President Vigdis Finnbogadottir, syndicated columnist Gwynne Dyer, Quebec Businesswoman of the Year Nycol Pageau-Goyette, First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine, Actress Mary Walsh and Canadian Labour Congress President Bob White. A full list follows.

Minister Furey is also pleased to formally announce the four major corporate sponsors for the Soiree '99 celebrations. "I'm delighted that Newtel, the Iron Ore Company of Canada, Air Canada/Air Nova and Petro-Canada have chosen to play such an important and supportive role in the Soiree '99 program," Minister Furey said. "These companies are demonstrating a significant commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador as well as the whole country." Several other corporations, including Scotiabank and the Hibernia Management and Development Corporation (HMDC,) are also contributing to Soiree '99.

Media contact: Tara Laing, Communications Director, (709) 729-0928; or George Earles, Communications/Public Relations, Soiree '99, (709)

729-4825.

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Canada Conference'99

Confirmed Speakers & Moderators - March 10, 1999

Thomas d'Aquino            President & Chief Executive, Business Council on National Issues
Jocelyne Bourgon           President, Canadian Centre for Management Development
John Bruton                     Former Prime Minister (Taoiseach) of Ireland
Marcel Cote                    Partner, SECOR
John Crosbie                   Chancellor, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Elizabeth Davis                President & CEO, Health Care Corporation of St. John's
Stephane Dion                 Minister of Inter-Governmental Affairs
Craig Dobbin                   Chairman, Canadian Helicopters Corporation
Gwynne Dyer                  Syndicated Columnist, Author and Historian
Vigdis Finnbogadottir      Former President of Iceland
Phil Fontaine                    National Chief, First Nations
Gordon Gibson                Sr. Fellow in Canadian Studies, Fraser Institute
Richard Gwyn                  Syndicated Columnist, Author and Political Commentator
Linda Inkpen                    Doctor of Medicine, Educator and Chair of Newfoundland Power
Laurier LaPierre              Chairman of the Board of Telefilm Canada; Chairman of Heritage Fairs, CRB Foundation
Claude Laverdure           Ambassador of Canada to the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Personal Representative of the Prime                                          Minister of Canada For la Francophonie
Peter Lougheed                Former Premier of Alberta
Dean MacDonald             President, Cable Atlantic Inc.
John McCallum                Chief Economist, Royal Bank of Canada
Tonda McCharles           Ottawa bureau correspondent, Toronto Star
Arthur May                      President, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Peter Neary                     Author, Dean - Faculty of Social Science, University of Western Ontario
Barbara Neis                   Associate Professor & Head of Department of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Nycol Pageau-Goyette   Chair - Aeroports de Montreal, Quebec Businesswoman of the Year
Mary Pratt                      Artist
Brian Tobin                     Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
John Ralston Saul           Author
Emad Rizkalla                 President, ZeddComm Inc.
Ed Roberts                     Chairman, Board of Regents, Memorial University of Newfoundland; Patterson, Palmer, Hunt, Murphy
Ronald Rompkey           Director, J.R. Smallwood Centre for NF Studies, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Penelope Rowe              Executive Director, Community Services Council
Guylaine Saucier            Chair, CBC Board of Directors
Mary Walsh                   Actress & Political Satirist
Donald Watt                  Chairman, The Watt Design Group
Bob White                     President, Canadian Labour Congress
Vic Young                     Chairman and CEO, Fishery Products International

1999 03 12 11:30 a.m.