carnival 2013 media launch

Toronto Summer Carnival Launched Minus Masqueraders

By William Doyle-Marshall

Scotiabank has extended its commitment to be the title sponsor of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival formerly known as Caribana for another three years. Christine Williams, vice president, announced this at the official media launch in Toronto Tuesday morning at the Ontario Science Center.

  The senior banking executive reminded media representatives that in 2008 her company became the title sponsor. That was extended for another three years in 2010. In announcing this new extension of the title sponsorship Williams said the partnership started an exciting new chapter for the bank because the Caribbean is where its international story began in 1889 by opening its doors in Kingston, Jamaica before its Toronto headquarters opened.    

  The media launch organized by the Festival Management Committee under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Denise Herrera-Jackson, fell short of expectation. It was a carnival media launch minus live masqueraders or models wearing costumes. Press and television representatives had to settle for plastic mannequins clothed in old costumes. They are still wondering whether this is a sign of austerity hitting the festival. “Something was sent out about parade of costumes but it did not happen,” the CEO admitted.

  “We were told that it is difficult to collect models for this time. The models are the masqueraders. What we have is models, people who come and do the costumes. I don’t know where the masqueraders are honestly. The ones who come to formal events like this are models. TMBA has models who would model the costumes. We do contract with the TMBA to provide models for different events. We didn’t get models for this event,” Herrera-Jackson explained. A junior steelband – Toronto All Stars Steel Orchestra -- directed by Salmon Cupid and Soca Monarch Connector entertained the gathering. It was a very lean programme of entertainment for a major cultural event that attracts millions of dollars into the province’s coffers.

Soca Monarch Joel "Connector" Davis

  Lesley Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of the Science Center said her 91 year old mother will be watching the festival parade from the bleachers of the CNE this year as she has done in the past.  When an alliance with the carnival was first proposed by Vishnu Ramcharan, a staff member, it was a natural fit for the science center. It reflects who the organization is, its values and commitment to communicating that science is everywhere. “Our diverse cultural histories and traditions are what make the city so vibrant and the festival is a stunning example, Lewis observed.

  The Ontario Science Center’s Innovation In Mas’ Award to masquerade creation is being presented for the fourth consecutive year. It recognizes that science is not only found in labs and engineering is not just about building amazing structures. The mas’ camp work is evidence of this and we recognize that, the CEO said. The center’s work with the festival is in keeping with its vision to inspire a life-long journey of curiosity, discovery and action to create a better future for the planet.

Laura Albanese MPP for York South-Weston, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport disclosed that the Government of Ontario appreciates the important role that festivals and events like the Caribbean carnival play in our Province. “They enrich our quality of life and they enrich our economy,” she added.

  “Ontario’s tourism industry contributes over $23 billion for our economy. Festivals and events throughout the province support over 22,000 jobs. Marquee festivals like this one confirm the World Economics finding that Canada is still one of the world’s top ten tourist destinations, among the 140 nations in tourism visits and expenditure. Leading the way is Ontario.” The festival is credited with bringing in to the city every summer $132 million --a great impetus for the tourism industry and the province of Ontario.

  The Ontario parliamentary admitted that Ontario is an international destination and the Caribbean Carnival helps it to make it so as visitors from across Canada and the U.S. join in these celebrations. So this carnival continues to grow and the minister thanked the Caribbean community, creators, organizers and volunteers, Scotiabank and all the sponsors while admitting that their contributions help to raise Ontario’s profile as a truly international travel destination – a place that provides memorable experiences.

   Albanese said the Jump Up of the Season is just around the corner as Toronto gets set to enjoy the sights, the sounds, the savoury foods and the excitement of the most energetic and biggest outdoor party in North America. Two million people in one big celebration of Caribbean culture, is how she described the colourful festival. “This is indeed a feast that indeed no one would like to miss,” she observed. In the circumstances, the parliamentary assistant welcomed all the Caribbean nations, all friends from the U.S. and around the world to the 2013 version of this major Caribbean cultural festival that has become known to the world as Caribana. Albanese was proud that the festival continues to build on more than four and a half decades of tradition in the City of Toronto. She described the festival as a “spectacular expression of Caribbean culture in a symbol of our diverse multicultural community.

 

May 21, 2013