First people heritage important to Canadian pageant organizers

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Aboriginal women and girls are encouraged to enter Canada Pageants Corporation competitions, including Miss Pre-Teen (age seven to 12), Miss Teen (age 13 to 19), Miss Canada (age 20 to 26), Ms. Canada (age 27 and up) and Mrs. Canada (age 21-56). Community service and hard work are the criteria for winning.

The competitions exist to provide personal and professional opportunities for women and to showcase their accomplishments.

"We are proud of the fact that contestants are giving great service in their respective communities," said Julie Young-Marcellin, who was Mrs. Canada 2002 and is now national director of Canada Pageants. "And they get a lot in return, through networking and exposure, and of course the good feelings that they gain about themselves through the work they are doing."

Career and education accomplishments are considered as part of the application process, as well as contestants' interests and plans for the future.

"Often the work they choose to do reflects something that's affected them personally, such as losing a friend or relative to cancer, and that's where they want to passionately concentrate their energy," said Young-Marcellin.

For example, the current Miss Canada's platform was violence intervention and prevention and Canada Pageants created a tour for her that will see her reach more than 100,000 high school students, speaking to them about teen relationships and recognizing signs of violence, she said.

Girls and women from all walks of life and heritage backgrounds are encouraged to participate.

"Diversity is a part of life and we need representatives from all cultures to be role models in their communities and serve in volunteer or professional capacities to make those communities better places in which to live," said Young-Marcellin. "We haven't had anyone identify herself as an Aboriginal representative, and that's something we'd truly like to see. We'd like nothing more than to have contestants and possibly a winner who was of First Nations heritage."

Canada Pageants would welcome input from the Aboriginal community as to how to promote this worthwhile activity among their young girls and women.

"The pluses for the individuals who participate are so great that we want to ensure everyone hears about the competitions and has the opportunity to participate," she said. "We may not be using the right marketing strategy to reach specific areas of the population and we'd welcome suggestions."

Self-confidence is the number one qualification for contestants.

"They may have a cause for which they want to work, but are timid about putting a plan into place so that's where our assistance makes it possible," she said. "We've seen very shy people progress to the extent that they are able to speak in front of increasingly large audiences. By the end of their year they have gained self-confidence and have seen some results realized by speaking to people locally and in the case of winners, nationally." They start in small steps, by doing some research so they're well-versed in their topic, then as they meet people and hear praise for their work, they get braver and stronger.

"We promote them to their own communities and they become role models and celebrities."

Those interested in putting their name forward can call 1-519-858-5964 or go the Canada Pageants Web site www.canadapageants.com for information about entry dates and for application forms.

Finalists in area competitions will travel to London, Ont. for the national event in March 2005.

"We want each lady to feel like a queen while she's here and we roll out red carpets and limousines as well as hosting a coronation ball. The ladies do autograph signings and media interviews and there's a lot of excitement for our candidates."

In their home communities, they are called upon to drop pucks at hockey games or participate in opening ceremonies of public buildings.

"They are truly treated like he special people that they are," added Young-Marcellin.