Details of the 2014 Royal Tour Unveiled

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 11, 2014) - Department of Canadian Heritage

Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, announced today details of the Tour of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to Halifax and Pictou County in Nova Scotia (May 18 and 19); Charlottetown, Bonshaw, and Cornwall in Prince Edward Island (May 19 and 20); and Winnipeg in Manitoba (May 20 and 21).

Their Royal Highnesses will participate in several events and mark important anniversaries of historic significance to Canadians, including commemorating the 150^th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference in Prince Edward Island that led to Confederation.

There will be a number of opportunities for Canadians to see Their Royal Highnesses, including an official welcome to Canada and Nova Scotia at the Grand Parade in Halifax on Victoria Day on May 19, Victoria Day celebrations and fireworks in Charlottetown on the same day, and visits to Assiniboine Park and the Manitoba Legislative Building on May 21.

Quotes

"Our relationship with the Royal Family provides Canadians with an opportunity to learn more about our constitutional monarchy, which is the pillar of our system of government. I invite Canadians of all ages to join in the Royal Tour celebrations this May. The 2014 Royal Tour of Their Royal Highnesses will not only highlight Canada's achievements and our shared heritage, but will also look to the future of Canada and how we will continue together to build a country that is the envy of the world."

-Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

Related Products

Royal Tour 2014 webpage

Associated Links

www.princeofwales.gov.uk/focus/canada (Bilingual)

www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/Royalvisits.aspx (English only)

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Backgrounder

Thematic for the 2014 Royal Tour of Canada by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall

"CANADIAN ACHIEVEMENT:

COMMEMORATING OUR PAST - CELEBRATING OUR FUTURE"

The year 2014 marks a special moment in the life of our country. In the lead up to the 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, Canada will commemorate a broad range of anniversaries that speak to the essence of nation building. Some of these include:

200th:	birth of Sir George-Étienne Cartier (2014) and Sir John A. Macdonald (2015)
175th:	birth of Sir Wilfrid Laurier (2016)
150th:	Charlottetown and Québec City conferences (2014)
125th:	Stanley Cup (2017)
100th:	outbreak of the First World War (2014)
	defining battles (The Somme and Beaumont Hamel, 2016); Passchendaele and Vimy Ridge, 2017)
	women's suffrage (2016)
	creation of the National Hockey League (2017)
75th:	outbreak of the Second World War (2014)
	Battle of Hong Kong (2016)
	Dieppe Raid (2017)
50th:	National Flag of Canada (2015)
	Order of Canada (2017)
	Canada Games (2017)

Two key dates will be a cause of great celebration: July 1, 2017, is the sesquicentennial of the Dominion of Canada, while September 10, 2015, marks the date when the reign of Queen Elizabeth II will surpass that of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, thus making her the longest reigning Sovereign of Canada.

These and many other regionally based anniversaries will be a source of great pride for all Canadians. Therefore, it is fitting that The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visit with Canadians as we now enter this significant period of commemoration and celebration, and continue to build a society and a country that is truly the envy of the world. All Canadians have reason to commemorate our past while celebrating the spirit of nation building that is alive and well in all regions of our country-reflecting our pride in our accomplishments, and confidence in our future.