Ottawa's Canada Day bash to add War of 1812 theme
The Harper government has hired a Toronto theatre expert to inject a little war into this year's Canada Day bash on Parliament Hill.
Artistic producer Paul Shaw has been asked to find ways to insert a War of 1812 commemoration into the July 1 festivities that typically include pop music, dance and pyrotechnics.
"I do big-ass special events all the time, so they asked me to do that," Shaw said in an interview. "It's sort of tricky to do a War of 1812 theme when you've got so many modern things in and around it."
The Conservative government, which has been promoting Canada's military culture and heritage, has earmarked money and resources throughout the year to commemorate the bicentennial of the outbreak of War of 1812 in North America.
The Canadian Heritage Department normally injects patriotic themes into the Canada Day noontime show on Parliament Hill, giving the National Capital Commission a free hand to organize the evening show with singers and fireworks in a party atmosphere.
War theme in 2 shows
But a recently posted document indicates that the war theme will appear in both shows.
"The events on Parliament Hill also present a key opportunity of the federal government to foster enthusiasm and excitement around other significant events," says a tender document from the commission.
"In 2012, the Government of Canada is commemorating the War of 1812 and this theme must be incorporated in both the Noon and Evening Shows."
Shaw, whose Toronto firm is Chez Pshaw, previously helped organize Pope John Paul II's visit to Toronto in 2002, and Olympic torch relays on Parliament Hill last year. Hired three weeks ago as a creative consultant for Canadian Heritage, Shaw says he wants to emphasize the 200-year-old origins of Canada's armed forces.
$3.7M price tag
The National Capital Commission, a Crown corporation created in 1959 to oversee federal parks, buildings and events in the Ottawa region, has budgeted $3.7 million for this year's Canada Day festivities. Shaw's contract was not put out for competitive bidding because it is below a $25,000 threshold for mandatory tendering.
Neither Shaw nor the commission would reveal the value.
A spokeswoman for the commission did not respond directly when asked whether the requirement for an 1812 theme in the evening show, as well as in the noon show, is a departure from the usual division of planning responsibility between the commission and Canadian Heritage.
Last week, Heritage Minister James Moore announced a Canada Day poster contest, calling on young Canadians aged five to 18 to create original posters on the theme "1812: The Fight for Canada."
"This year, participants are invited to create a poster showing how people from different backgrounds and regions joined forces to fight for Canada during the War of 1812," Moore said.
Ottawa's Canada Day bash to add War of 1812 theme - Politics - CBC News
The Harper government has hired a Toronto theatre expert to inject a little war into this year's Canada Day bash on Parliament Hill.
Artistic producer Paul Shaw has been asked to find ways to insert a War of 1812 commemoration into the July 1 festivities that typically include pop music, dance and pyrotechnics.
"I do big-ass special events all the time, so they asked me to do that," Shaw said in an interview. "It's sort of tricky to do a War of 1812 theme when you've got so many modern things in and around it."
The Conservative government, which has been promoting Canada's military culture and heritage, has earmarked money and resources throughout the year to commemorate the bicentennial of the outbreak of War of 1812 in North America.
The Canadian Heritage Department normally injects patriotic themes into the Canada Day noontime show on Parliament Hill, giving the National Capital Commission a free hand to organize the evening show with singers and fireworks in a party atmosphere.
War theme in 2 shows
But a recently posted document indicates that the war theme will appear in both shows.
"The events on Parliament Hill also present a key opportunity of the federal government to foster enthusiasm and excitement around other significant events," says a tender document from the commission.
"In 2012, the Government of Canada is commemorating the War of 1812 and this theme must be incorporated in both the Noon and Evening Shows."
Shaw, whose Toronto firm is Chez Pshaw, previously helped organize Pope John Paul II's visit to Toronto in 2002, and Olympic torch relays on Parliament Hill last year. Hired three weeks ago as a creative consultant for Canadian Heritage, Shaw says he wants to emphasize the 200-year-old origins of Canada's armed forces.
$3.7M price tag
The National Capital Commission, a Crown corporation created in 1959 to oversee federal parks, buildings and events in the Ottawa region, has budgeted $3.7 million for this year's Canada Day festivities. Shaw's contract was not put out for competitive bidding because it is below a $25,000 threshold for mandatory tendering.
Neither Shaw nor the commission would reveal the value.
A spokeswoman for the commission did not respond directly when asked whether the requirement for an 1812 theme in the evening show, as well as in the noon show, is a departure from the usual division of planning responsibility between the commission and Canadian Heritage.
Last week, Heritage Minister James Moore announced a Canada Day poster contest, calling on young Canadians aged five to 18 to create original posters on the theme "1812: The Fight for Canada."
"This year, participants are invited to create a poster showing how people from different backgrounds and regions joined forces to fight for Canada during the War of 1812," Moore said.
Ottawa's Canada Day bash to add War of 1812 theme - Politics - CBC News
