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100 ways to paint the town red (and white)

Feds subsidize celebrations in Manitoba

By: Mia Rabson

Posted: 06/30/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

OTTAWA -- Want to express your true patriot love with a frozen T-shirt contest or a quick dip in Hudson Bay?

You are in luck.

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Both are among the hundreds of activities planned at the 100 Celebrate Canada events the federal government is funding in Manitoba this year.

The frozen T-shirt contest -- which involves contestants racing to put on T-shirts that were dipped in water and then frozen solid -- is part of the fun and games planned for the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre Wednesday.

The Polar Bear Club dip in Hudson Bay will occur, where else, but in Churchill.

In all, the Canadian Heritage department is spending $6.7 million for a coast-to-coast display of patriotism bringing flag cakes and jugglers, beer gardens and barbecues to communities big and small across the land.

Manitoba communities will divide $254,003 between 100 different celebrations and activities that run the gamut from historical re-enactments to sports, children's entertainers and music.

Some of the more creative activities include a raft-decorating contest (Ofty's Riverside Campground in Portage la Prairie), barrel train rides (Marchand Community Club in La Broquerie) and a downhill derby (Valley Recreation District in Birtle).

Fifty-five of the events will have a cake, 24 involve a parade, 18 have face-painting, nine have swimming, four include horseshoes and two will have cricket. At least 66 events plan to include fireworks.

More than half the grants are for less than $1,000.

The smallest grant, for $131, goes to the Patricia Beach Community Club for a flag-raising, races, silent auction and a Canada Day cake.

The largest, $32,620, goes to the events planned at The Forks, including family activities, fireworks and a performance by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

That grant, and some of the others, is shared with activities planned for National Aboriginal Day, which took place June 21.

The largest single grant for Canada Day events alone is to Partners in the Park for the Assiniboine Park festivities, which include inflatable rides, magicians and jugglers -- and of course fireworks.

NDP MP Pat Martin, who has complained bitterly over the years about Quebec getting an unfairly large share of the Celebrate Canada funds, said he can't complain if Manitoba is not getting shortchanged.

Quebec was expected to get $3.7 million of the $6.7-million total this year, or more than half the entire Celebrate Canada budget. Ontario, which by population is larger, was to get $1 million.

At $254,003, Manitoba's share is actually slightly above what it should get if the money were divided based on the province's population.

Martin expects to spend the day attempting to avoid the dunk tank at the annual Canada Day celebration at the Freight House in his Winnipeg riding.

"They loving dunking politicians," he said.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 30, 2009 B2

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