Today, the super bowl of service, WE Day, announces it’s coming home to Canada for an extraordinary one-time event during Canada Day weekend in Ottawa. After igniting millions of young people around the globe to build a more caring and compassionate society, the world’s largest youth empowerment event will take over Parliament Hill on July 2, 2017 for WE Day Canada, the first-ever outdoor festival WE Day event of its kind. From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., tens of thousands of young people and their families are invited to descend on the nation’s capital to show the country and the world that the future of Canada is in the hands of its young heroes. Ready to build a stronger future together, exceptional Canadian youth paired with iconic national celebrities and thought leaders will take to the WE Day Canada stage for an evening of epic performances, inspiring speeches and incredible celebration.
WE Day Canada will feature a cast of distinguished Canadian celebrities, innovators and trailblazers, including Barenaked Ladies, National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Roméo Dallaire, Marc Dupré, Chris Hadfield, Hedley, Tom Jackson, Maripier Morin, Alanis Morissette, Alex Nevsky, President Natan Obed, Kardinal Offishall, Penny Oleksiak, Lilly Singh, Jacob Tremblay, Margaret Trudeau, Emma Verde, and more. This star-studded lineup will join international activists and WE co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger, for an open-air festival-style evening of inspiration and celebration anchored by rousing stories and performances alongside some of the country’s most remarkable young future leaders.
“As a first generation Canadian, I am pumped to mark Canada’s big 150 and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than with my friends at WE Day,” said award-winning rap artist, music producer, ¼ of the Celebrity Marauders and WE Ambassador, Kardinal Offishall. “As one of the hosts of WE Day Canada, I can’t wait to join my fellow Canadians on Parliament Hill as we look forward to what the next 150 years hold for our community — together our force is immeasurable and possibilities are endless.”
For more than 20 years, WE has empowered young Canadian change-makers from coast to coast. WE Day — launched in Canada in 2007 — is a powerful global series of life-changing events that bring young people together through service to celebrate the impacts they have made on their local and global communities. As a Canada 150 signature event, WE Day Canada will close out the long-weekend celebrations by setting the stage for the next 150 years.
“To mark Canada 150, we invite all Canadians to come together and share messages of strength, unity and action,” said Craig Kielburger, international activist, co-founder of WE and proud Canadian. “WE Day Canada will connect Canadians from coast to coast who are committed to making a difference in their community, country and world. This monumental event at Parliament Hill will celebrate the change-makers of today and tomorrow — passing the torch to the next generation of national leaders and igniting new passions to build a better future for all of Canada.”
The full list of WE Day Canada hosts, performers and speakers in alphabetical order, announced to date includes:
Hosts: Tyrone Edwards, Jus Reign, Maripier Morin, Kardinal Offishall, Nicolas Ouellet, Inez Point, Chloe Wilde
Performers: Mustafa Ahmed,Barenaked Ladies, Hedley, Tom Jackson, Koriass, Celebrity Marauders, Alanis Morissette, Alex Nevsky, Lilly Singh, Tenors
Speakers: Sara Abdessamie, Hannah Alper,Amélie Barbeau, Annie Bartlett, Jeffrey Beausoleil, Gloria Bella-Brisson, National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Émilie Bierre, Amelie Boissoneau, Caleb Burt, Michel Chikwanine, Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Kaiya and Aiyana Leonard La Couvée,Roméo Dallaire, Alexandre Despatie, Jessie Gélinas, Hassan Guillet, Chris Hadfield, Rick Hansen, Jordan Hébert, Aqsa Hussain, Camille Ingles-Fortier, Sinthusha Kandiah, Simon Leclerc, Tracie Leost, Massi Mahiou, Connor McKiggan, Elliot Miville–Deschênes, Hani Al Moulia, Ashley Murphy, Lysandra Nadeau, President Natan Obed, Penny Oleksiak, Chantal Petitclerc, Anya Pogharian, Joannie Rochette, Mila Solaja, Tedario Speranza, Jacob Tremblay, Margaret Trudeau, Masai Ujiri, Emma Verde, Dr. Stanley Vollant, Pearl Wenjack
WE Day Canada is part of WE are Canada — WE’s national campaign marking Canada 150 — bringing millions of Canadians together with the collective goal of inspiring them to take action towards building a more caring and compassionate future nation. WE is engaging a generation of Canadians to make local, national and international impacts through the multi-faceted program. WE are Canada engages people coast to coast, challenging Canadians of all ages to raise $1 million for Canadian organizations and commit to one million hours of local volunteer service.
The national program empowers Canadians to gain a deeper understanding of social issues, inspiring them to make a difference in their communities and across the country, helping to build the nation’s next 150 years. The first step that every Canadian can take is the WE are Canada Pledge. By taking the pledge, people across the country are joining a collective movement of active change-makers who are committed to building a strong future Canada. Learn more about how to get involved on Facebook.
Leading up to WE Day Canada, Ottawa residents and visitors can get a head start on celebrations with limited-time WE pop-ups around the city. Officially opening in late June 2017, the new WE Store at Cadillac Fairview Rideau Centre will act as a local hub for WE Day Canada, offering visitors interactive activities including a DIY Rafiki Bar and a WE Selfie Zone where selfie-snappers can share their wishes for the future of Canada through collaborative video screens. Throughout the Canada Day weekend, the public can visit WE Day Canada kiosks at Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa and on the lawn of the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, open to the public all weekend long. The interactive kiosks will offer visitors tools and resources to learn more about how to take action toward building a stronger Canada and purchase limited-edition WE are Canada merchandise, where every purchase makes a local impact in the lives of young people across the country.
Canadians from across the country can take part in WE Day Canada by watching the event roll out live on WE’s Facebook page. WE Day Canada will also be taped for a special broadcast airing Friday July 7, 2017 at 9 p.m. EST on MUCH and Saturday July 8 at 7 p.m. EST on CTV.
WE Day Canada is part of the Government of Canada’s weekend long celebrations in Canada’s capital region and made possible thanks to the support Co-Chair Frank Giustra and Honourary Co-Chair National Chief Perry Bellegarde. WE Day Canada is presented by RBC, TELUS, Seventh Generation, and Teck, along with partners including: Canada 150 Champions, The Radcliffe Foundation, The Jim Pattison Group; Canada 150 Champion Families, Paul & Leah Atkinson & Family, Kevin & Mandi Kimsa & Family, and Mark & Sarah Wellings & Family; In-Kind Partners, Cadillac Fairview, WestJet, Freshii, and Farmboy; and, Amplification Partners, Cineplex Entertainment, Facebook Canada, PATTISON Onestop, The Globe and Mail, MAJIC 100 and LeDroit.
Join the WE Day Canada event page on Facebook for exclusive offers, sneak peeks and updates.
