September 20, 2011 -- The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities is inviting Canadians with disabilities to apply for the 2011 Centennial Flame Research Award.

According to the Centennial Flame Research Award Act, this monetary award is offered each year to a person with a disability to enable him or her to conduct research and prepare a report on the contributions of one or more Canadians with disabilities to the public life of Canada or the activities of Parliament.

The award for 2011 which was increased by $500.00 from the $5000.00 for 2010, will amount to $5500.00, and comes from the money collected from the Centennial Flame monument on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and any money otherwise received as a donation to the Centennial Flame Research Award Fund.

For your application to be considered, the following criteria must be met:

• The applicant must be a person with a disability;
• The applicant must submit proof of Canadian citizenship;
• The applicant must submit an outline in any medium of his or her proposed research project dealing with the contributions of a Canadian or Canadians with disabilities to public life in Canada or the activities of Parliament. The outline must explain the significance of these contributions and describe how the research will be undertaken;
• The applicant must submit a letter of support for his or her application from a person of his or her choice other than the subject of the research; and
• All required documents must be sent to the Clerk of the Committee and must be postmarked on or before October 15, 2011.

Those interested in more information on this award may consult the Committee's web site or contact the Office of the Clerk of the Committee.