Eight More of Canada’s Finest To Be Honoured with Stars on Canada’s Walk of Fame

Tribute gala scheduled for Saturday, June 3 at Toronto’s Hummingbird Centre -

Toronto, ON (March 8, 2006) – Canada’s Walk of Fame along with broadcast partner CTV announced today (at Cineplex Entertainment’s Paramount Toronto Cinemas) the names of eight new luminaries who will join 93 additional Canadians with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. The 2006 Inductees for Canada’s Walk of Fame are: Pamela Anderson, Jann Arden, The Crazy Canucks (Steve Podborski, Ken Read, Dave Irwin and Dave Murray), Brendan Fraser, Robert Goulet, Eugene Levy, Paul Shaffer and Alex Trebek. Representing the worlds of sport, music, theatre, television and film, the Canadian natives and international celebrities will be inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame at a Tribute Gala at Toronto’s Hummingbird Centre on Saturday, June 3. The gala—hosted by Trish Stratus, the reigning World Wrestling Entertainment® (WWE®) Women’s Champion—will be broadcast nationally on CTV.

**Media Note** - Download photos for Canada’s Walk of Fame at www.ctvmedia.ca.

“This is a real milestone,” said Peter Soumalias, CEO and President of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “This summer’s Tribute Gala will bring the total number of stars on the Walk of Fame to over 100, and there are still plenty of Canadians to honour.”

As always, the 2006 inductees cover the full breadth and depth of Canadian talent. “All of this year’s recipients are legends in their field,” said Soumalias. “With Canada’s strong finish at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, I’m particularly pleased we’re honouring The Crazy Canucks this year.”

In addition to the gala, CTV will broadcast a Red Carpet special preceding the Walk of Fame ceremony, produced from CTV’s entertainment unit, eTalk Daily. CTV is the exclusive broadcast partner for Canada’s Walk of Fame through 2007.

The 2006 Inductees for Canada’s Walk of Fame are:

Pamela Anderson
From the day she was born as Canada’s Centennial Baby (the first baby born on Canada’s 100th Birthday in 1967), Pamela Anderson has been making grand entrances wherever she is. Recognized around the world for her roles in Home Improvement, Baywatch, V.I.P. and numerous movies, Anderson remains one of the entertainment industry’s most popular icons. Anderson will host The 2006 JUNO Awards on CTV in April.
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Jann Arden
Recording artist Jann Arden continues to be one of Canada’s most talented songwriters and performers. This acclaimed “girl from the prairies” can bring audiences to tears through her intimate, poignant songs only to have them rolling in the aisles moments later with her raw humour. With eight CDs, 15 Top Ten singles, a substantial collection of industry-related awards and honours along with acting, writing and charity work (including a second trip to Africa with World Vision), Arden is rarely bored.

The Crazy Canucks
Individually Ken Read, Steve Podborski, Dave Irwin and Dave Murray reigned over the world of downhill skiing during the mid 1970s and into the early 1980s. Together, they were a cultural phenomenon known as the Crazy Canucks. The four men earned their moniker when they burst onto the downhill skiing scene in 1976 with flair, speed, and more than their fair share of disastrous falls. After one such fall by Dave Irwin, Serge Lange, renowned ski journalist of the era, unwittingly bestowed the nickname on the group when he dismissed the young Canadian as a “crazy canuck.”

Brendan Fraser
Born December 3rd, 1968, Fraser traveled across North America and Europe due to the fact that his father was a journalist and a foreign-service officer with the Canadian government. After a stop in Hollywood, Fraser decided that acting would be his chosen career. Since then, Fraser has found himself sharing the screen opposite Sir Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Shirley Maclaine, Martin Sheen, and Sir Ian McKellan.

Robert Goulet
A Grammy, Tony and an Emmy winner, Goulet is a legendary artist of striking power. His illustrious career has spun for over half a century and he is considered one of the greatest baritones of our times. His storied career covers everything from his debut as Sir Lancelot in the original Camelot (1960) also starring Richard Burton and Julie Andrews to a Radio Mercury Gold Award for his performance in The Simpson’s.

Eugene Levy
This well-known actor, writer and director works with the likes of Tom Hanks, Steve Martin and Samuel L. Jackson on screen - and keeps them laughing off the screen. He’s an award-winning writer and actor who has received two Emmys for SCTV, a Grammy, a Golden Globe nomination for Best In Show, a New York Film Critics Circle Award for A Mighty Wind, an American Comedy Award and a Blockbuster Award for American Pie.

Paul Shaffer
From his start as musical director of a Toronto production of Godspell in 1972, Paul Shaffer has always made music a part of his life. His career is peppered with outstanding musical achievements: he was a composer and performer with NBC’s Saturday Night Live for several years; he received his first Grammy Award in 2002 after being nominated for twice in 1989; he wrote the theme song for The Late Show; he led the band in the We Are The World finale at Live Aid; and he was a vocalist in Canada’s Tears Are Not Enough recording.
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Alex Trebek
Although he is most recognized as the affable host of CTV’s Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek can trace his game show pedigree back to CBC’s Reach For The Top. As a result of his work on Jeopardy! since 1984 and the series’ great success, Trebek has won three Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Game Show Host.” Trebek has also appeared in over 70 movies and television shows, most often appearing as himself. When asked how he felt about his induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame, Trebek answered in true Jeopardy! fashion. “The answer is, this Sudbury native is very honoured and excited to be in the company of other Walk of Fame inductees,” he said. “The correct question, of course, is: ‘Who is me?’”

About Canada’s Walk of Fame:
Established in 1998, Canada’s Walk of Fame aims to educate, inform, and inspire through the permanent celebration of the achievements of Canadian music, arts and entertainment luminaries. The annual celebration culminates in a televised tribute special that honours Canada’s finest stars from the worlds of arts, entertainment, and sports. Each inductee is immortalized, their names forever cemented into the sidewalks of Toronto’s entertainment district. To date, 93 Canadians have been honoured. A complete list of inductees and more details on Canada’s Walk of Fame can be found at www.canadaswalkoffame.com. Canada’s Walk of Fame is presented by Master Card in partnership with Volkswagen.

About CTV:
CTV, Canada’s largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It boasts the number-one national newscast, CTV National News With Lloyd Robertson, and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing. CTV owns 21 conventional television stations across Canada and has interests in 14 specialty channels, including the number-one Canadian specialty channel, TSN. CTV is owned by Bell Globemedia, Canada’s premier multi-media company. More information about CTV may be found on the company website at www.ctv.ca.

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On the Web:
www.canadaswalkoffame.com
www.ctv.ca

For more information on Canada’s Walk of Fame:
Chris McDowall, Holmes Creative Communications
416.628.5648 or cmcdowall@hccink.com

For more information on the 2006 Canada’s Walk of Fame broadcast:
Renée Dupuis, CTV Inc.
416.332.4596 or reneedupuis@ctv.ca