News Releases

Paul Shelley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, along with Dean Brinton, Chief Executive Officer of The Rooms Corporation, today announced that The Rooms has successfully secured BMO Financial Group as a corporate sponsor. The official opening ceremonies for The Rooms on June 29, 2005 will take place on The Rooms grounds and will be open to the public of Newfoundland and Labrador. CBC television personality and native Newfoundlander Rick Mercer will be the Master of Ceremonies for the official opening ceremonies.

Minister Shelley said government is pleased that the Bank of Montreal sees the value in The Rooms as an outlet for education and outreach and has come on board as a corporate sponsor. “Government’s continued investment in the province’s arts and heritage is evidenced by its support of The Rooms and its mandate, in particular its education and outreach activities,” said Minister Shelley. “The support of BMO speaks to the corporate community’s recognition of The Rooms and the role it plays in preserving and supporting this province’s arts and heritage for generations to come. Through long-term corporate partnerships, The Rooms will be able to enhance its education and outreach potential through the expansion of its traveling exhibitions and through continued partnerships with local community groups.”

With a view towards developing and supporting longer-term initiatives with The Rooms, BMO is initially contributing $37,500 towards The Rooms opening ceremonies, with a longer term commitment to education and outreach.

Rob Pearce, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Personal and Commercial Client Group of BMO Bank of Montreal, who was present for today’s announcement, indicated that BMO is pleased to be the first corporate sponsor of The Rooms. “The Bank of Montreal was the first bank to open in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1894 and since that time we have continued to be an integral part of the socio-economic life in the province,” said Mr. Pearce. “My colleagues and I are extremely pleased to join in the June 29 celebration of this exciting new facility that will house The Rooms Provincial Archives, Art Gallery and Museum and will serve as a center for the promotion of Newfoundland and Labrador’s dynamic arts and heritage. At BMO, we’re committed to lifelong learning and are looking into an enduring relationship and partnership with The Rooms and its educational and public outreach programs for children and adults from across the province.”

Mr. Pearce acknowledged Premier Danny Williams and his government’s commitment to culture and The Rooms, noting that this will enhance awareness of the province’s arts and heritage and promote the artistic activities and talents of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and young people in particular.

Mr. Brinton provided preliminary details on the official opening ceremonies on June 29, 2005. “The Rooms is a provincial institution designed for all people of the province, standing as testament to our sense of pride and our sense of place in what is uniquely us,” said Mr. Brinton. “The Rooms is a public resource and we invite the residents of the province to join with us in celebrating the official opening. We are very pleased that the opening ceremonies will feature prominent Newfoundland and Labrador artists and we are pleased to officially announce that Rick Mercer has agreed to be the Master of Ceremonies for this exciting event.”

The official opening ceremonies for The Rooms will take place on The Rooms grounds beginning at 12:00 p.m. and will be open to all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. The ceremony will be 90 minutes in duration and will include a wealth of talent from prominent Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Further details regarding the official opening ceremonies will be unveiled in the coming days.

Rick Mercer, a native of St. John’s, is the current host of Rick Mercer’s Monday Report, a weekly half-hour of topical comedy on CBC Television. Mr. Mercer began his career in comedy performing and writing a series of one-man stage shows, beginning with Show Me the Button, I'll Push, which debuted at the National Arts Centre in 1990 and went on to tour across the country. Subsequent theatre performances included I've Killed Before, I'll Kill Again (1992) and Canada: A Good Place to Hide (1995). In 1994, Mercer launched his television career as a performer and writer on the topical weekly show This Hour Has 22 Minutes, which he left in 2001. In 1998, he joined Gerald Lunz and Michael Donovan to create the satirical dramatic series Made in Canada, where he again starred and contributed as a writer. In 2001, his special Talking to Americans became the highest rated Canadian comedy special of all time. Rick Mercer has received over 25 Gemini Awards for television writing and performance. In June 2003, he was given the Sir Peter Ustinov Award at the Banff Television Festival. In 2002, he was presented with an honorary Doctor of Letters from Laurentian University. He is the sole civilian recipient of the Canadian Armed Forces Commander Land Force Command commendation in recognition of his support of Canadian peacekeepers. Among numerous other awards, he has been co-named Journalist of the Year at the Atlantic Journalism Awards, Artist of the Year from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, and he has received a number of Canadian Comedy Awards. In November 2004, Mercer received the National Arts Centre Award at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards, and in December 2004, he received two Gemini Awards: Best Writing in a Comedy' and Best Performance in a Comedy' for the CBC Television series Made in Canada. Hosting duties have included the East Coast Music Awards, the 2000 Gemini Awards, the Juno Awards, the history series It Seems Like Yesterday, and the annual Canada Day show from Parliament Hill.

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