4-H Canada Celebrating our History and Growing our Future: Engaging Youth and Connecting Communities in Canada 150
Ottawa, ON – November 18, 2016 – At an event held today at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum in Ottawa, 4-H Canada was proud to officially kick-off their participation in Canada 150 as one of the organizations leading a pan-Canadian signature project.
Mr. Pat Finnigan, Member of Parliament for Miramichi—Grand Lake (New Brunswick), on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, took the opportunity to announce the Government of Canada’s funding of $375,000 towards the project “4-H Canada, Empowering Youth and Connecting Communities.”
In 2017, 4-H Canada will support local activities and celebrations that will engage 4-H youth in communities across Canada, through the 4-H Connecting Canadians Fund, open to 4-H Clubs, Regions, Districts and Provincial Organizations. These celebrations will celebrate the agricultural heritage of Canada, bringing together communities from coast to coast.
To complement the celebrations, 4-H Canada will also be rolling out a national awareness campaign to highlight the important role 4-H has played in Canadian culture.
Donna Bridge, President of 4-H Canada’s Board of Directors, was also on hand to announce two corporate partnerships for Canada 150. TransCanada and McDonald’s Canada have both come on board as partners for this pan-Canadian signature project. The generous support of these partners is indicative of the values they each share with 4-H Canada on empowering youth and strengthening Canadian communities.
The total investment of $625,000 by the Government of Canada and generous corporate partners will allow 4-H Canada to reach and connect more communities across Canada and engage youth in areas they are passionate about as we celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday and look to a bright future.
The 150th anniversary of Confederation is an incredible opportunity for Canadians to come together, celebrate, share experiences and build stronger communities. It is also on opportunity for Canadians to invest in our shared future, by partaking in activities and opportunities that promote inclusion, dialogue and inspiration, and empower Canada’s youth.
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Quotes
"As one of Canada’s most well-respected positive youth development organizations, 4-H Canada is committed to nurturing responsible, engaged and confident youth leaders who are committed to positively impacting their communities across Canada and around the world. As we embark upon an exciting year as part of Canada 150, and reflect upon the themes of inclusion, diversity and inspiration, we are excited to engage youth and connect communities who can access resources and contribute to positive change as part of the 4-H movement. There is truly no greater time than now for 4-H in Canada.”
- Shannon Benner, CEO, 4-H Canada
“One of the goals of the 4-H Canada Signature project is to ensure that Canada remains strong for the next 150 years. Young Canadians from diverse communities will come together to learn more about the fascinating agricultural history of their country. The 150th anniversary of Confederation represents a unique opportunity to celebrate our past, our achievements and the wealth of our environment. Let’s strengthen the bonds that unite us and raise awareness among young people about the challenges of tomorrow.”
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage
“In celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation, TransCanada is partnering to support a series of initiatives that align with our commitment to create lasting and positive impacts in the communities where we live and work across Canada. As a long-term supporter of 4-H, we are proud to support the 4-HConnecting Canadians Fund, which will promote 4-H programming that will help develop the next generation of leaders and engaged citizens for the benefit of the entire country.”
- Kristine Delkus, Executive Vice President Stakeholder Relations & General Counsel, TransCanada
“McDonald’s Canada is thrilled to partner with 4-H Canada as part of this very special project in celebration of Canada’s 150th. Through the more than 90,000 employees working in over 1,400 restaurants, our company shares 4-H’s commitment to empowering Canadian youth, connecting people to their communities, and promoting this country’s rich agricultural heritage. As Canada celebrates its 150th in 2017, we are proud to be a company not just operating in Canada, but part of the Canadian fabric, and we’re excited to be celebrating alongside 4-H and its members.”
- John Betts, President & CEO, McDonald’s Canada
About 4-H Canada
For over 100 years, 4-H Canada has been one of the most highly respected positive youth development organizations in Canada. 4-H Canada has more than 24,000 members and nearly 7,400 volunteers. Our goal is to help young Canadians “Learn To Do By Doing” in a safe, inclusive and fun environment. We believe in nurturing responsible, caring and contributing leaders who are committed to positively impacting their communities across Canada and around the world. To learn more about 4-H Canada, please visit 4-h-canada.ca and follow our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
About Canada 150 Signature Projects
Pan-Canadian Signature projects are large-scale, participation-oriented activities, of national scope and with high impact. These projects will bring Canadians together to celebrate, participate in events and share experiences.
About TransCanada
With more than 65 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and liquids pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 90,300 kilometres (56,100 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is the continent's leading provider of gas storage and related services with 664 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A large independent power producer, TransCanada currently owns or has interests in over 10,500 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is also the developer and operator of one of North America's leading liquids pipeline systems that extends over 4,300 kilometres (2,700 miles), connecting growing continental oil supplies to key markets and refineries. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. Visit TransCanada.com and our blog to learn more, or connect with us on social media and 3BL Media.
About McDonald’s Canada
In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald’s restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. Together with our franchisees, we proudly employ nearly 90,000 people from coast-to-coast and approximately 85 per cent of McDonald’s 1,400 restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. Of the almost $1 billion we spend on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from over 100 suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald’s Canada, visit McDonalds.ca.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Jarvis
Director, Marketing and Communication
4-H Canada
613-759-1013 ext. 130
613-809-7141
ejarvis@4-h-canada.ca
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