Jimmy’s Pageant Page
talks
with
Katie McClure
Miss Earth Canada 2005
JIMMY STEELE: Congratulations on your victory! Judging from the pictures, it was an emotional moment for you. What made you enter the Miss Earth Canada contest last year, and re-enter this year for a second chance at the title?
KATIE McCLURE: Last year I was drawn to the competition because of my educational background - in Environmental Studies - and my love for pageantry. When I heard that there was an environmentally-focused pageant, I thought that it would be the perfect combination of two things that I'm very passionate about. I really enjoyed myself last year during the competition, and I walked away from the event feeling proud to have been associated with the organization. When the opportunity to compete again arose, I was originally hesitant because the previous year had been so amazing that I was worried that this year wouldn't be able to compare to my original experience. Ultimately I came back because I really wanted to see everyone again, and I figured that there was no way that Ronaldo would let his pageant be anything but amazing. Luckily I was right.
JS: Give us a few highlights from the contest weekend.
The things that really stick out the most in my mind are the moments that all of the girls got to spend together. We went to Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal and there were over a hundred stairs (which seemed closer to a thousand at the time), but we all huffed and puffed our way to the top where we were rewarded with an incredible view of Montreal. It was a really nice time for all of us to relax and have fun, and it set a great tone for the rest of the weekend. The pageant rehearsals were also an absolute BLAST! The best part was the swimsuit presentation. We were broken into small groups and at the opening of the swimsuit presentation each group danced their way down the runway to the Austin Powers theme song. I had an amazing group of girls to dance with and we laughed our heads off every time that we did it (the picture is on your site). And last, but certainly not least, was the time that I spent with everyone after the crowning. All of us decided to go out dancing afterwards to celebrate the evening and we had an amazing time. I've participated in a few pageants now, but I've never come across such genuinely kind-hearted women. The women in this competition were fantastic and really made my crowning a night that I will never forget.
JS: Miss Earth naturally places a great importance on environmental causes. Is there one in particular that you would like to align yourself with?
KM: I'm quite passionate about the preservation of fresh water sources in Canada and around the world, but rather then focusing on one specific environmental issue during my reign I plan on advocating for greater environmental accountability in everyone. I believe that the maintenance of our environment is everyone's responsibility, so I plan on using my time to educate the populace on the simple activities that everyone can incorporate into their daily routines in order to help build a sustainable environment for the future.
JS: What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Manila?
KM: I'm really looking forward to experiencing the culture. I have never really travelled outside of North America, so I'm very excited to see as much of the Philippines as possible, and to get a real feeling for the Filipino way of life.
JS: When you're not wearing your crown, what does Miss Earth Canada do "in real life"?
KM: In "real life", I'm a full time employee of RBC (the Royal Bank of Canada) where I work as the Manager of Sales Reporting and Analytics. I'm also actively involved in community theatre, so I typically I use a lot of my spare time rehearsing for different shows that I'm involved in (I'm current starring as Maria in the York Minstrels production of West Side Story). And any time that I have left I like to spend with my family in Keswick. It's kind of my retreat from everything else, so on sunny weekends you can usually find me relaxing by the gardens of my parent's backyard.
JS: A short version of Twenty Questions! What is your favourite...
KM: Film: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
TV show: 24 - I'm kind of addicted!
Food: GINO's pizza.
Book: The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. As you can tell, I'm a HUGE Tolkien fan!
Place to be: Keswick, Ontario.
An inspiring Canadian: Naomi Klein
JS: What are you hoping to get out of the experience both at Miss Earth and as Miss Earth Canada?
KM: I don't have any specific expectations for what I'm going to gain from these experiences per se, but I know that both of these competitions have presented me with an opportunity to explore new things, and I think that regardless of how the experience plays out, I will walk away with new insight into myself, and hopefully the world that surrounds me.
Anything else you'd like to tell our "readers" and your fans?
KM: would just like to thank everyone for their tremendous support and continued devotion. As a tomboy growing up in a small town I could never have imagined that I would hold a National title and have the opportunity of competing in an international pageant. Having all of this become a reality has been amazing, but the support that I've received from everyone has really made the experience a dream come true. Thank you for helping this little tomboy feel like a queen!
JS: Fantastic! I hope this interview helps our friends, especially in the Miss Earth host nation of the Philippines, get to know you a bit better. I know you will have a fantastic time at Miss Earth...and good luck!
Click here to see pics from this year's Miss Earth Canada Pageant