Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Yellowknife ( May 24/00) - Margaret Brown drew her inspiration from the national anthem when she decided to show a little pride in her country.

Brown, 16, a Grade 10 student at Rankin Inlet's Alaittuq high, set her creations to paper and entered the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2000.

The bearer of the good news was Darlene Mandeville, a programs officer with Heritage Canada.

"She phoned to let me know the program was happening, then I saw the ad for it in the Kivalliq News and entered.

"Once I started working, the ideas just came to me as I thought about our national anthem."

Margaret's ideas turned out good enough for her poster, For the Love of my Country, to be named the Nunavut finalist in the national competition.

She and her mother, Lavinia, will be on their way to Ottawa to take part in the gala Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill.

Lavinia says craftsmanship has long run in her family and feels Margaret comes across her talent honestly.

"I'm an artist in my own way and her great-grandmother was a very well-known craftsperson," says Lavinia.

"We've already met the Governor General and it's very exciting to meet the prime minister.

"But mostly I'm happy for what Margaret has accomplished so young.

"I'm happy for her to have the chance to meet people her age from across Canada."

Heritage Canada has worked in partnership with the Department of Education and schools across the country in delivering the contest. Open to those 18 and under, the contest drew about 19,000 entries.

Margaret says she'll be happy if she wins, but feels lucky to have got this far.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting so many different people and making new friends."