NEWS RELEASE:
3rd Annual Cleansing Ceremony
Prelude To National Aboriginal Day In Edmonton
EDMONTON (June 18, 2007) - The Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre on Kingsway, owned and managed
by CHIP Hospitality, winner of the 2006 Pinnacle Award for Hotel Company of the Year, is honored
to host the 3rd Annual Cleansing Ceremony as the official prelude to National Aboriginal Day (NAD)
celebrations in Edmonton. This event will take place on Wednesday, June 20 at 10:00am as a way
of recognizing National Aboriginal Day.
The free event is open to the media and public and celebrates the contributions and diverse cultures
of Canada’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.
“We have been blessed with the cultural guidance offered by Elder Jerry Wood who will conduct
a Tree of Life Ceremony and Cleansing Ceremony,” said Caroline Thompson, Regional Director of
Sales & Marketing for CHIP Hospitality.
In addition, the Ramada Hotel has commissioned “Embracing our Future” by Anasatsia Poitras that
will be unveiled, blessed and placed on permanent display in the hotel’s lobby.
Lesley MacDonald, producer and host of the Global Woman of Vision Television series, will emcee
this event, along with co-emcee, Corbin Poitras. The program will include remarks from Ron Hayter,
Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations and the National Aboriginal Day Chairperson.
The event will also showcase a variety of Aboriginal entertainment with a signing of Oh Canada
in Cree, Métis dancers, Inuit performances, Flute Performance, Fancy Dancers and a Medicine Man
Song from Kwakwak’awakw Nation. Councilor Ron Hayter will bring greetings from the City of Edmonton
and present a proclamation. A feast of bannock, berries, coffee and tea will follow a closing
prayer by an Inuit Elder. In addition, there will exhibitors on site to help promote National
Aboriginal Day and strengthen their community partnerships.
“I am truly grateful for all of the community support we are receiving,” said National Aboriginal
Day Chairperson - Alberta Region Heather Poitras. “The partnerships and networking are truly
strengthening the Aboriginal community!”
National Aboriginal Day was officially proclaimed in 1996. Since then, the levels of awareness
and number of celebrations across Canada have grown significantly. This year’s theme for National
Aboriginal Day is "Celebrating Diversity."
CHIP Hospitality is one of Canada’s leading hotel management companies and currently manages more
than 30 hotels and resorts with approximately 8,000 rooms across Canada. The company manages independent
hotels, and hotels operating under major franchise brands including some Delta Hotels, Crowne
Plaza, Radisson, Residence Inn by Marriott, Coast, Holiday Inn, Quality, Gouverneur, Best Western,
Ramada and Howard Johnson properties. A subsidiary of CHIP REIT, CHIP Hospitality uses management
strategies, upgrades, repositioning and franchising to improve the operating performance of the
properties in its portfolio to create value for its investors and owners. CHIP REIT units trade
on the TSX under the symbol HOT.un, HOT.db and Hot.db.a. Visit www.CHIPHospitality.com or call
1-800-431-0070 for more information.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Speaker biographies will be made available within a media kit upon request or
on day of event. This news release and other CHIP Hospitality news and package information is
available on-line in the Press Room at www.CHIPhospitality.com.
Media Contacts:
Lyndsay Hamilton
Interim Director of Sales
Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre
Tel: (780) 453 7302 or lhamilton@chiphospitality.com
Heather Poitras, B.A. in Native Studies
National Aboriginal Day Chairperson, Alberta Region
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Tel: (780) 495 6728 or poitrash@inac-ainc.gc.ca
For more information on NAD events, please visit:
www.inac.gc.ca/nad
www.edmonton.ca
www.aand.gov.ab.ca
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