Winterlude 2008

Dinosaur Provincial Park (Alberta, Canada)
Date of inscription with UNESCO: 1979

In addition to its particularly beautiful scenery, Dinosaur Provincial Park — located in the heart of the province of Alberta's badlands — contains some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made from the "Age of Reptiles." About 35 species of dinosaur have been discovered, which date back some 75 million years.

Ross Baisas
Quebec, Canada

Ross Baisas is a culinary chef at the Casino de Montréal. He began ice carving in 1990, and has won numerous awards, including first prizes in 2005 and 2007, while participating in the Crystal Garden International Ice-Carving Competitions.

Ross Baisas is assisted by Suguru Kanbayashi, member of the Canadian Ice Carvers' Society (Ottawa, Canada)

Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
Kofuku-ji, Five-Storey Pagoda (Nara, Japan)
Date of inscription with UNESCO: 1998

Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. During this period, the framework of national government was consolidated, and Nara enjoyed great prosperity, emerging as the fountainhead of Japanese culture. The city's historic monuments — Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the excavated remains of the great Imperial Palace — provide a vivid picture of life in the Japanese capital in the 8th century, a period of profound political and cultural change.

Takashi Narita
Sapporo, Japan

Takashi Narita is a renowned ice carver in Japan, where he operates his own ice factory. Mr. Narita is one of the top competitors in ice-carving competitions in Asahikawa, Harbin and Hokkaido.

Takashi Narita is assisted by Katsuyoshi Ohira from Sapporo, Japan.

Menin Gate Memorial

When the enemy launched its great offensive in 1918, its forces were finally halted near the Menin Gate in Ypres.

After the war, the gate was chosen as the site of a memorial arch to commemorate the nearly 55,000 dead of the British Commonwealth who had fallen in Belgium and who had no known grave. Of these, 6,940 were Canadian.

Those who gave their lives are remembered at the Menin Gate in a simple ceremony that takes place every evening at sunset. All traffic in the area is stopped, and up to six members of the local volunteer fire brigade sound the last post. The outbreak of the Second World War forced a halt to the ceremony. The local townspeople buried the precious vintage silver bugles, fearing that they would be found and destroyed. When the war ended, the cermony immediately resumed.

The nightly ritual is a moving tribute to those who served in the "war to end all wars."

Stompin' Tom and "The Hockey Song"
(Team Prince Edward Island: Abram Waterman, Asher Waterman and Ben Waterman)

From his humble beginnings in Prince Edward Island, singer-songwriter Stompin' Tom Connors rose to become a national icon with tunes such as "The Hockey Song." In 1992, this song was played during an Ottawa Senators hockey game, and quickly became an anthem for hockey fans.

Left: Northern Wind
(Team Saskatchewan: Jason Hosaulk, Clinton Neu eld and Jacques Pelletier)

Saskatchewan is synonymous with big skies and extreme weather, from its hot 35°C days in the middle of summer to the frigid -40°C nights in January. The people who live on the Prairies, like many others across this country, have been defined by the weather. It is an integral part of our collective identity. Northern Wind exemplifies the perseverance of the people's Prairie spirit and their strength in standing together.

Middle: Mothers of the North
(Team New Brunswick: Albert Deveau, Daniel Deveau and James Deveau)

A mother polar bear rests with her little one, while on a quest for food. Even when resting, her nose is in the air sniffing for a possible future meal. The little one has no care in the world, and is totally dependent on his mother. Our sculpture is based on the short story "Mothers of the North," published in the book entitled More Kindred of the Wild, which was written by Charles G. D. Roberts of Douglas, N.B.

Right: The Cremation of Sam McGee
(Team Yukon: Allan Dobbs, Ian Jim and Timothy Cant)

The Yukon team has selected a poem by the world renowned poet Robert Service (1874-1958), who is known for his colourful depictions of the gold rush era in the Yukon in the late 1800s. Our sculpture shows the author opening the boiler door of a ship called Alice May, while Sam McGee sits in the blaze of the furnace, enjoying the warmth that he hasn't enjoyed since he left "Plumtree, down in Tennessee."

Raven Brings the Light
(Team British Columbia: Peter Vogelaar, David Dureault and Delayne Corbett)

Many people have heard of the Haida legend "Raven Steals the Sun," but perhaps do not realize that, in fact, he freed the sun from its hidden place and, thereafter, the world was in light. Allow yourself to feel the sense of awe and joy of witnessing the first sunny day in the world. Our piece is inspired by the wonderful work of Bill Reid and Emily Carr, two very creative B.C. artists of the past.

The Legend of the Northern Lights
Team Manitoba: Réal Bérard, Roger Bérard and Kevin Leroux

In Manitoba, the aurora borealis is known as "Ed-thin," or "Caribou" among the Chipewyan (Dene) peoples. They likened the heavenly spectacles to the sparks of light produced in their dark tents by rubbing caribou blankets and clothing. When colour and patterns erupt from winter's darkness and shift across the northern sky, a mysterious hand strokes the fur of celestial caribou. When the northern lights are bright, the caribou are plentiful in the regions of the sky.