THE PARKS CANADA REVIEW 2011 Centennial Edition CELEBRATING A CENTURY: Parks Canada lit up the area around the CN Tower and throughout Toronto. Minister Kent throwing out the first pitch of the Blue Jays game. OUR Centennial edition of The Parks Canada Review Parks Canada Hits a Home Run in Toronto A Message from Canada’s Minister of the Environment The world’s first national park service launched its 100th birthday celebration on May 21st with the Parks Canada Experience, an exci- What a year this has been for the world’s ting day-long outdoor street and music fest that attracted thousands to downtown Toronto. first national park service! In the words of one poster on the Parks Canada Facebook page, it was “an awesome day,” with everything from heritage presenta- tions and costumed interpretation to the Fort George fife and drum corps and a critter corner ensuring a fun day for kids and grown-ups From the downtown cores of Canada’s alike. The volume kicked up another notch at a late afternoon concert with Mudmen, Malajube, Sweet Thing, and Apostle of Hustle. cities to the most remote regions of our The celebration in Canada’s largest urban centre hit the big leagues when the Toronto Blue Jays invited Minister Kent to throw out vast network of parks, historic sites, and the first pitch at the Rogers Centre. Special activities during the game included the Parks Canada Trip of a Lifetime Giveaway. After the marine conservation areas, we have game, the stadium was transformed into Canada’s biggest indoor campsite, with dozens of families taking advantage of what one called celebrated a hundred years of connecting Canadians with our national treasures. a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for an overnight camp-out inside the ballpark. Across Canada and around the world we have made a difference over the past year. A Gift to the Earth At home and worldwide, we have received On May 19th, World Wildlife Fund International presented Parks wide recognition as a leader in managing Canada with its prestigious Gift to the Earth Award in recognition protected areas. We are proud to share of Parks Canada’s leadership and conservation achievements that the credit with the many engaged contribute to protecting the living planet. These include the individuals, organizations, communities, dramatic growth of Canada’s system of national parks and national Aboriginal groups and local, provincial and territorial governments who have marine conservation areas and our international leadership in worked with us. As we prepare for another creating new protected areas and reintroducing species at risk. century of achievement, we look forward As well, Parks Canada was acknowledged for embracing precedent- to building upon these collaborations and setting collaboration with Aboriginal peoples in the creation and to proudly sharing Canada’s best from management of protected areas. As Minister Kent observed, “little coast to coast to coast with Canadians of the tremendous growth we have achieved since 2006, from and beyond our borders. the expansion of Nahanni National Park Reserve in 2009 to the creation of Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site in 2010, would have been possible without the excellent relationships with our Aboriginal partners.” This special booklet delves deeper into why Parks Canada received this honour. Calling the award an “incredible honour for Parks Canada and for The Honourable Peter Kent, PC, MP grasslands in southwest Saskatchewan is part of one of the most Minister of the Environment and all Canadians,” Minister Kent marked the anniversary by announcing endangered ecosystems in Canada, and a global priority area for World Minister responsible for Parks Canada another gift to the earth—the addition of 110 square kilometres to Wildlife Fund. Grasslands National Park. This area of spectacular scenery and native Youth Ambassadors with Royal Connections Prime Minister Stephen Harper has ensured that the memories of the 2011 Royal Visit and the centennial of Parks Canada will live on by creating The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Parks Canada Youth Ambassadors Program as a gift to the royal couple. The program, Prime Minister Harper said, “will remind The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge of the time they spent here together enjoying Canada’s natural wonders, and forever connect them to the young people participating in the program that bears their name.” Beginning in 2012, two youth ambassadors will be selected each year to reach out to Canadian youth in schools, communities and Yves Chevalier Yves at Parks Canada locations—expanding our efforts to connect young Canadians with their special places. Will and Kate thrilled Canadians at every stop on their tour, from dragon-boating in Prince Edward Island National Park to inspecting ‘soldiers’ at the Lévis Forts National Historic Site. PAGE 1 The Parks Canada Review : 2011 Centennial Edition CENTENNIAL Centennial Headlines Major Centennial Experiences Minister Kent with Parka, Festivities Across the Nation Parks Canada’s New Mascot Hard on the heels of last year’s celebra- tions of the 125th anniversary of Canada’s first national park, staff across the coun- try pulled out all the stops again this year, inviting Canadians to join in celebrations of the 100th birthday of Parks Canada, the first national park service in the world. National Parks Project at Canada Day celebrations. From the “100 Voices for 100 Years” Parks Canada was front and centre singing of “O Canada” at Fortress of at some of Canada’s biggest events in Louisbourg National Historic Site to 2011. “Talk Like a Pirate Day” at Gulf of Georgia Starting with a spectacular frozen Cannery National Historic Site to the fireworks display, Ottawa’s Winterlude “Bloomers to Sack Suits” fashion show festival featured the Parks Canada cen- at Klondike National Historic Sites, the tennial with a celebration of national centennial brought new events and a spe- parks and national historic sites and cial flavour to regular activities at Parks the pleasures of winter camping. Canada places from coast to coast to coast. Visitors were treated to large-scale In many cases, the centennial celebra- images of Parks Canada places pro- tions coincided with other milestones— jected onto the exterior of the Canadian Yoho and Glacier national parks com- Museum of Civilization, as well as short memorated their 125th anniversaries as Centennial Sparks Special Editions and Tributes films and photo exhibits, among all national parks with 125-kilometre hiking kinds of activities on the world’s longest challenges, while Cape Breton Highlands A number of Canadian magazines issued special editions in skating rink, the frozen Rideau Canal— National Park marked its 75th anniver- honour of Parks Canada’s centennial. As well as publishing one of Parks Canada’s gems and a sary with more than 75 ways for visitors to a special “collectors’ edition” featuring the best photographs UNESCO World Heritage Site. choose their own big adventure. from national parks, Canadian Geographic devoted its April On Canada Day, drummers from 2011 edition to Parks Canada, with stories covering subjects the Fortress of Louisbourg and the ranging from our history to the discovery of HMS Investigator Halifax Citadel joined an Ottawa- in 2010. This was followed by a special June issue of Explore based ensemble of Inuit drummers Magazine on adventures in national parks and an Explore on Parliament Hill to entertain the Magazine/Géo Plein Air national parks adventure poster Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and map in July. The unprecedented coverage for Parks Canada 300,000 new friends. This was part of during its centennial year also included feature stories in a full day of family-friendly activities, publications such as Maclean’s, Canada’s History magazine, capped off by a National Parks Project Throughout the centennial, the Globe and Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids, enRoute, Taste Mail regularly featured Parks Canada concert in the evening across the & Travel International, Our Canada, up!, and Canadian places and experiences and encouraged Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec. Trey Le Trey readers to share their stories in print Fun for everyone during Parks Canada’s centennial. Immigrant. and online. In Calgary, the Parks Canada Flag- bearers on horseback, a fixture in the Moose Muffle Soup? Commemorative Change Stampede Parade for over 20 years, was complemented for the centennial There’s an App for That The Royal Canadian Mint honoured Parks Canada’s year by a horse-drawn wagon and an centennial year with two remarkable tributes. The first award-winning float! On the Stampede collector coin of 2011 was the Parks Canada centennial silver Grounds themselves, magnificent dollar, a solid silver masterpiece designed by artist Luc Percheron horses from Bar U Ranch Normandin. National Historic Site made a big On October 7th, a beautiful Parks Canada centennial impression on young and old alike. commemorative loonie was unveiled and entered into circulation. Featuring elements of national parks, national historic sites, national marine conservation areas and a hiker, five million centennial coins Postal Pride Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada, with chefs from the will be in the pockets of Canadians for the next 20 to 30 years, Culinary Arts Program at Ottawa’s Algonquin College. and collected forever. The centennial loonie is the leader of the With the help of professional chefs from Mint’s ‘Our Legendary Nature’ five-coin series. Ads on French the Culinary Arts Program at Ottawa’s and English television enable Canadians to discover more about Algonquin College, more than 70 heritage Parks Canada and this centennial coin. recipes from national parks and national historic sites across the country have been New Books Celebrate National Parks in Canada adapted for modern cooks. From their fascinating history to their stunning landscapes, two new books provide las- The recipes—all fully tested in the col- ting commemoration of the wonders of Canada’s national parks and national marine lege’s kitchens—along with photos of each conservation areas.