Miss World Canada - History

History

• 1957: It is believed that the first winner of that contest was Judy Welch of Toronto, a former Miss Toronto who had also participated in the Miss Canada Pageant.
• 1958: Marilyn Keddie of Flin Flon, Manitoba won the Miss Maple-Leaf Canada crown.
• 1959: Irene Dobler of Toronto won the Miss Maple Leaf-Canada title, but resigned, leaving first runner-up Huguette Demers of Montreal to compete internationally.
• 1960: Danica d'Hondt of Vancouver, British Columbia, a former Miss Canada, who had also participated in the 1959 Miss America Pageant won by Mary Ann Mobley, competed at Miss World. She placed among the top 16 finalists of the Miss World Contest, and was the first Canadian to place in the international finals. It is unknown how she was chosen to participate at the international event.
• 1961: No Canadian participated in Miss World 1961
• 1962—1979: the winner of the Miss Dominion of Canada Pageant, based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, went to Miss World.

Following the disbanding of the Miss Dominion of Canada Pageant, former 1970 Miss World from Grenada, Jennifer Hosten (then Jennifer Hosten-Craig), was asked by Miss World Chairwoman Julia Morley to set up a national event. Thus, the first official Miss World Canada Contest took place in 1980. It was held in Ottawa in front of hundreds of spectators, and was hosted by Al Waxman and Karen Kain, the Principal Dancer for the National Ballet of Canada.

• 1980: Quebec City's Annette Labrecque won the title. She went onto win "Miss Friendship" at the Miss World Contest.
• 1981: No event was held in 1981, but the previous year's first runner-up, Earla Stewart of Pembroke, Ontario, went to the Miss World finals and placed among the semi-finalists.
• 1982: The Sun Media Corporation's flagship newspaper, the tabloid style Toronto Sun, was named the franchise-holder for Canada, and elected Jody Jensen of Calgary as Miss World Canada 1982.
• 1983: No event was held in 1983, and again, the previous year's first runner-up, Katharine Durish of Toronto, went to London for the Miss World finals.
• 1984: The ING Media Group were named new franchise-holders and held a small event in Toronto. Connie Fitzpatrick, a 19-year-old part-time model and student at McMaster University in Hamilton, won the crown, and went on to London where she finished as first runner-up in the international finals, then Canada's best showing ever. She gained great acclaim from the Fleet Street press for her stunning beauty and likeness to Princess Diana.
• 1985–1986: Miss World Canada ceased again, and the Miss Canada Pageant send its first runners-up both years: Mia Tambling of Elora, Ontario in 1985, and Wynne Kroontje of Sarnia, Ontario in 1986.
• 1987: Miss World Canada began again 1987 and ran until 1991. Tracy Westerholm of North Vancouver took part in 1987.
• 1988: Morgan Fox of Vancouver, British Columbia, who went on to great fame as a Playboy magazine Playmate of the Year.
• 1989: The show was televised on cable networks across Canada, and saw Leanne Caputo of Milton, Ontario win the crown. She went on to Hong Kong for the 1989 Miss World Contest, where she finished as first runner-up and was named Queen of the Americas, as the highest-placing delegate from North, Central or South America.
• 1990: Natasha Palewandram, a top five finalist in 1989, participated at Miss World.
• 1991: Tara Paat won the Miss World Canada contest in Vancouver in October 1991. She withdrew from the Miss World finals, held jointly in South Africa and Atlanta, Georgia.
• 1992: The famed GuyRex group of El Paso, Texas, who ran the Miss Texas USA pageant since 1974, among other ventures, were awarded the Miss World franchises for Canada and the United States. After various casting calls, Nina Khilji of Toronto was chosen the winner and held the title Miss 1992 World Canada. She won the Best National Costume prize at Miss World in Sun City, South Africa.
• 1993: Roy Pinnock, who would later start the Miss Black Canada Pageant, ran the Miss World Canada Contest in Toronto. Tanya Memme, who went on to some great success as a television presenter, was the winner. Katherine Grefner, her roommate in that pageant at the time, and previous Miss World Canada President and CEO, won top talent with her singing and placed second runner up to Tanya.

From 1994 to 1996, Chan International Models of Edmonton was awarded the Canadian franchise rights, and held Miss World of Canada.

• 1994: Shawna Roberts of Calgary won the crown.
• 1995: Alissa Lehinki of Edmonton was chosen at-large to compete internationally. The following year, a Miss World of Ontario preliminary was held to select Ontario representatives for the national contest, and was won by Michelle Weswaldi of Woodbridge. As a national final was not held that year, Weswaldi was elevated to the national title. |

From 1997 to 2002, 'The Miss Canada International Inc'. Organization President and CEO Sylvia Starkholds Longest Directorship of Miss World within Canada. Miss Canada International Inc. held the rights to send their national title holders to the Miss World Pageant. The Miss World finals were held in the Seychelles, Africa, Nigeria, London and Sun City. All title holders from these years were Miss Canada's International title holders.Website- www.misscanadainternational.com Title holders Keri-Lynn Power -Newfoundland Leeanne Baird -Stoney Creek, ON Christine Cho- Toronto, ON Mireille Eid- Ottawa, ON Tara Hall- Niagara Falls, ON Lynsey Bennett- Ottawa, ON

• 2003: SP Productions of Toronto, which incorporated itself as MWC Inc. that year, was awarded the franchise for Miss World. The four events to date have been held in Toronto. In 2003, Nazanin Afshin-Jam of Vancouver won the national title, and she finished as both first runner-up and Queen of the Americas at Miss World that year in Sanya, China. She was also named Miss Fitness, which earned her a bye into the top twenty semi-finalists. Afshin-Jam traveled to five continents during her reign and is now recording an album. She was the first Canadian woman of Persian heritage to win a major national beauty title in Canada.
• 2004: Tijana Arnautović of Ottawa won the crown. She had turned eighteen just three weeks prior to the national finals, and won not only because of her great beauty, but because of intelligence and maturity beyond her years. She was the first Canadian woman of Serbian background to win a major national beauty title in Canada. Arnautović competed at the biggest pageant in history, Miss World 2004 in Sanya, China, where 107 women participated.
• 2005: Ramona Amiri of Vancouver took home the title, and she went on to finish in the top fifteen semi-finalists at Miss World in Sanya, China. She was also a Talent competition finalist, being named the winner of the Best Traditional Dance category, and was a top five finalist in the Beach Beauty swimwear competition. She was the only delegate out of 102 international contestants to place in the final five in both categories.
• 2006: Malgosia Majewska of Peel Region won the national title and was a Top 17 Semi-Finalist at the Miss World competition in Poland in September 2006. She won the Miss World Sport Fast Track event and was a semi-finalist in both the Beach Beauty and Talent competitions.