150!Canada

In just a few short years – on July 1, 2017 – Canada will turn 150 years old. It will be our sesquicentennial (trying saying that 3 times in a row quickly) – 150 years since that great experiment of Canadian Confederation was started. Why should you care you may ask. Especially, why start talking about it now in 2009??

Did you know that planning for the 1967 events – our Centennial year – started in 1958 and were at first led by Canadian Association of Adult Education? By that measure we are starting one year late.

1967 marked a period of rejuvenation and renewal for Canada – a time when anything was possible. In that time period, Canada grew up as a nation – a new flag in 1965, the start of many of our most cherished social programs (Medicare for example), and of course a year of celebration that included Expo ’67 in Montréal. I remember that time well. We had just moved from Montréal to Beloeil on the south shore. I remember taking the Metro and visiting many pavilions - I still have my Expo passport with stamps from the Canadian, US, USSR, French, etc pavilions. I also remember that year because the Canadiens were beaten in the Stanley Cup finals by the Maple Leafs (it is the last time that Toronto won the Cup, and of course my beloved Canadiens won many more times after 1967).

It was an exciting time when the potential of Canada seemed limitless and optimism was in the air – or are we looking back at that time with rose coloured glasses? We were all much younger then, so forgive the rose coloured glasses.

I think it is time once again to imagine the possibilities that the future can bring. That is why IPAC in conjunction with MASS LBP is organizing the 150!Canada conference that will be held in March 2010 in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre (The NAC was built in 1967).

We hope that this conference acts as a catalyst to the 2017 celebrations and we plan to bring together community leaders from across Canada to celebrate Canada and to develop a 150!Canada Declaration and Framework that will set out the principles and guide further planning of the Sesquicentennial.

Check out our 150!Canada website and add in your suggestions for 2017 as well as your memories and pictures from 1967. Stay tuned for more information on this important initiative including the exciting conference program, guest speakers and performers.