SUPPORT CANADA'S PARALYMPIC TEAM ON NATIONAL FLIP-FLOP DAY - The Sport Information Resource Centre

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Canadian Paralympic Committee – Toronto, ON – (June 13, 2016) – With the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games fast approaching and National Flip-Flop Day coming up this Friday, June 17, Chef de Mission Chantal Petitclerc is rallying as many Canadians as possible to slip on a pair of Team Canada’s Para Flip-Flops to generate support and excitement for Canada’s athletes heading to Rio.

“A new tradition is born,” said Petitclerc. “I know Canadians will enjoy wearing these patriotic, sporty flip-flops and showing our pride in our athletes and our country. Let’s see how many Team Canada fans nation-wide can unite together around #ParaFlipFlops and show their support on National Flip-Flop Day.”

On May 19, Hudson’s Bay Company launched its first-ever Paralympic Foundation of Canada fundraising item, the Para Flip-Flops, now available in Hudson’s Bay stores across Canada and thebay.com. Selling at $15 a pair, 30 percent of each flip-flop purchase will go to support Paralympic athletes and programs for aspiring athletes.

“We are very proud to introduce the Para Flip-Flops in support of the Paralympic Foundation of Canada,”says Liz Rodbell, President, Hudson’s Bay.”The sales of these flip flops will support our Canadian Paralympic athletes as they head into the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, and beyond. Ultimately, it is our goal that the Para Flip-Flops will do for the Paralympic movement what the Red Mittens fundraiser has done for the Olympic team.”

Inspired by our Canadian summers, and with the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games top of mind, these unisex flip-flops will help Canadians celebrate summer in style. The all-over print showcases a stylized, athletic Canada, with a key focus on our glorious maple leaf. Polar bears wearing toques and sweatbands are united with images of Inukshuks, campfires, tents and tall pines and a patriotic rally foam finger to boot, along with HBC and Canadian Paralympic Committee logos.

“The Canadian Paralympic Committee is appreciative of our longstanding partnership with Hudson’s Bay Company, since 2006, and we are pleased to work together on growing the Paralympic brand,” said Gaétan Tardif, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “The Para Flip-Flops are a brilliant new fundraiser and we encourage all Canadians to pick up a pair, especially for National Flip-Flop day. It seems everyone wears flip flops in Brazil and I know our team will be thrilled to wear these and promote them with huge national pride.”

“On behalf of the Canadian Paralympic athlete community, I’m honored to be part of the flip-flop campaign,” said Alexandre Dupont, a Paralympic wheelchair racer from Clarenceville, Que. “I know that athletes, our friends and families, and all Canadians will love these flip-flops both for the cool, distinctive style and also knowing that they are supporting Canadian athletes in pursuing their dreams of Paralympic excellence. We all appreciate HBC’s vision in pioneering this very exciting project.”

In addition to the Para Flip-Flops, the Official Canadian Paralympic Team Collection includes a graphic t-shirt for men and women, a beach towel, a unisex ball cap and a tote bag. All five Paralympic items are designed with the stylized, repeat graphic shown on the Para Flip-Flops. The full collection is priced from $15 to $40 and is available at Hudson’s Bay stores across Canada and thebay.com. The Paralympic collection is available online at http://tinyurl.com/jm85f8g.

Hudson’s Bay Company: thebay.com

Canadian Paralympic Committee: paralympic.ca

Paralympic Foundation of Canada: paralympic.ca/foundation