February 23 to March 10, 2021 ribbon Canada Winter Games 2007
About our Torches

Three torches, three territories

The torches were carved by sculptor Shane Wilson using caribou antler. In the palm of each antler is the Canada Games maple leaf emblem, featuring three prominent leaf veins which symbolize Canada’s three territories. Beside the maple leaf is an animal to represent the territory through which that torch will journey. In the carving, these animals are placed in their natural surroundings depicted by 13 elements of that setting. These 13 elements represent the 10 provinces and 3 territories that participate in the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

The raven, perching on the Yukon torch, oversees 13 mountains tops of the northern boreal forest.

The Northwest Territories torch features a polar bear. The bear clambers onto secure footing from an ice pan that broke into 13 pieces.

The narwhal of the Nunavut torch, whose tusk pierces the Canada Games maple leaf, swims amongst the ripples of 13 waves.
About the Artist - Shane Wilson

Shane Wilson is a sculptor who has lived and worked in Yukon since 1987.


His passion is the creation of carved sculpture from a variety of northern media: moose and caribou antler; bone; bison, mountain sheep and goat horn; mammoth tusk and old walrus ivory. He also works in stone and bronze.

For more information on artist Shane Wilson and the creation of the 2007 Canada Winter Games Torches, visit www.shanewilson.com

Shane Wilson describes the 2007 Canada Winter Games torches: "The Northern Torches were commissioned by Touch the North, Inc. for donation to the Whitehorse Canada Winter Games Society. Each torch is unique, with a carved handle fashioned from caribou antler. I chose caribou antler because of its unique handle-like shaft, as well as the fact that caribou are universally present in all three Territories. The palm and tine portion of the antlers, which normally point upward in their natural state, have been reversed to point downward and host the signature carvings... The torch tops are fashioned from stainless steel and copper and hold a solid fuel source - a 'cupcake' of wax and woodchips that has a burn time of about 1/2 hour."