OVER THE EDGE|
"February 27 - March 12, 2006 |

Hareraat Ghuman Vies for Miss World Canada

Suran LEnAL

News Epiror

After winning the title of Miss
Northem BC World, Harpreet
Ghuman, a fourth year Biochem
and Molecular Biology student, is
gearing up to compete in the Miss
Canada World pageant in Toronto
on March 15. This pageant, the offi-
cial preliminary to Miss World, will
see 45 young women from across
Canada take to the stage to show off
their brains, beauty, and community
accomplishments.

One contestant will receive an
automatic berth in the top 15 through
people’s choice voting, now on-
going at http:/Avww.missworldcan-
ada.com. The winner will represent
Canada in the international finals in
Poland, and will campaign exten-
sively for non-profit organizations
of her choice over the coming year.

Although Harpreet has been busy
preparing for the competition, she
took some time out to answer our
questions:

Why did you become interested
in pageantry? Through experiences
competing, what have you learned
about yourself?

The reason I got interested in pa-
geantry wasactually initially because
Theard about the Miss Canada Teen
Global pageant which had 10% of the
final score based on how much

adians interested in pageantry?

I think the industry does send
positive messages for youth, speak-
ing for Canadian pageants I’ve been
involved with anyhow. During the
Miss Canada Teen Global pageant
I raised thousands of dollars for
variety the Childrens charity and
met 32 girls who were very dedi-
cated to various causes, and learned
so much more than I could have
ever imagined. During the Miss
B.C. World pageant in which was
crowned Miss Northern B.C. we
were required to choose a-charity of
choice to represent if we won (CCS
for me) and a cause (mine was Drug
Abuse). I think positive role models.
are SO important in today’s society.
Instead of the Lindsey Lohan, and
Paris Hiltons of the world leading
our youth, why not local girls who
have good heads on their shoulders,
and want to be positive role mod-
els?

Unforunately I find Canadians
are not as excited about pageantry
as some other countries. There are
a lot of stereotypes that need to be
overcome so that we can get more
Canadian support. Perhaps if we
could spread the word about what
we really do, and how many people
we reach, individuals in Canada
would should more support.

Living in the north has been an in-
credibleexperience. Puttingasidethe
freezing cold weather (laughs out
loud). I love going to school in
Prince George. I have had nothing
but amazing experience with both
professors and students at this
university! And O.K. even the snows
pretty sometimes! I would definitely
be happy to represent the North, and
UNBC, as a great place to reside.
However, I haven’thad so much luck
with sponsorship in this city, and am
hoping that perhaps the school can
show me a little more support. I
spoke to recruitment who said it’s
not in their budget to sponsor me but
I will be trying to speak to the dean
after reading break and hopefully
something will work out! I think
the university has a lot to offer and
should support me in my goal to
reach Miss World. I am doing ex-
tremely well at UNBC, just started
a student club, (Punjabi Student
Association), and want to be here!
I had the opportunity to receive a
scholarship from UBC and many
other schools in areas people move
from the north to go to school to, but
I chose to come here. I don’t regret
my decision at all, and I believe that
by backing me up for Miss World
Canada, UNBC will receive a lot
of publicity and open a lot peoples
minds about coming to this univer-
sity. We have a great school, we

just need people to see

money we could raise We have a great school, we just need people that its worth coming up

over the year for
Variety - The Children’s
Charity. Also proceeds
from ticket sales, and si-
lent auction we held during
the pageant also went to Variety the
Childrens Charity. It was so nice
to see pageantry helping out in our
society. It was another way to give
back really. At first I was hesitant to
get involved, as I’ve always been
more into sports, and really more
on the tomboy end of the spectrum.
At the end of the day I’m glad I got
involved in all this because it really
helped me in touch with my femin-
inity, and have fun getting dressed
up and being.a girl!

After my first pageant I realized
how much I had gained. Not only
was I more confident in my own
skin, but I had better interview skills
and felt more comfortable giving
speeches in public, and approach-
ing companies for sponsorship.. Pa-
geants help women gain a platform
on which they can speak their mind,
and get involved in their commun-
ity. Unlike the traditional stereo-
types of what pageant are about, it
is more important in pageantry now
then ever to speak your mind, and
be yourself! You will get nowhere
being the kind of pageant queen
you'll find in the movies, that’s not
what their looking for!

Although a lot of media attention
over the past few years has been go-
ing into denouncing the industry, do
you think pageantry is sending posi-
tive messages for youth? Are Can-

to see ae its werth coming up north for!

You're facing some stiff competi-
tion — for instance, some of the con-
testants are Rhodes scholar finalists
or have done extensive volunteer
work. What sets you apart from
strong candidates like these?

I know that there is stiff compe-
tition in this pageant, and a lot of
the girls have great heads on their
shoulders, but so do I. I have volun-
teered and am actively involved in

both my communities (Lower main--

land, and Northern B.C.). I spent
two weeks in India travelling from
from Punjab through to Madhya
Pradesh, Maharastra, Hyderabad all
the way to Orissa, providing neces-
sities and clothing. I have been an
active volunteer with the Canadian
Cancer Society for years also, and
the list goes on with the amount of
things I have been up in the last 3
years. Also, I am a member of the
Golden key Honour Society UNBC
division. Along with volunteering
and maintaining a high GPA, I have
worked much of the last 3 years, at
times even full time, while going to
school full time so I can help out at
home, and pay for school.

Considering you have lived mainly in
the lower mainland, as Miss North-
ern BC how are you representing the
north? What northern perspectives
are you bringing to the competition?

north for!

How are you preparing
for the Miss World Can-
ada pageant? After along
day, what do you do to re-energize?
Preparation for this pageant has
been crazy busy! I’m working out
on a regular basis, practising my tal-
ent (Tae Kwon Do), reading up on
world happenings, and trying to stay
calm! I’ve also been busy trying to
get everyone to vote for me on a
daily basis, and that definitely takes
a toll on me. Also I have submitted
a beauty with a purpose package to
the judges, a description of the non
profit volunteer work I’ve been up
to in the last three years. The best
way | find I can-calm myself is by
remaining confident, and keeping
in focus what’s really important to
me.

What happens if you win? If you
dont win?

If I don’t win...Oh well, I’m still
going to continue doing what I’m
doing and take the amazing ex-
periences I’m sure to have during
pageant week in Toronto. If I win..
YAY! I’m so excited to work with
the amazing Miss World organiza-
tion. Miss Canada will spend the
next year very busy with charity
and volunteer work, and preparing
for Miss World in Ukraine!

May start:

Sep stari:

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