When the design team were considering ideas for a games mascot, it was unanimously decided that the beaver was the best representation for Canada. Münich had Waldi, a dachshund and a popular breed of German dog and Montréal wanted to follow a similar approach. “No animal has played a greater role in the development of a country than the beaver in Canada”, said COJO President Roger Rousseau at a press conference in Toronto on 25 September 1974. Amik is the indigenous word of the Algonquian language for Beaver.
It was the role of Pierre-Yves Pelletier, deputy to Georges Huel, to bring Amik to life. In the finalization of the completed design, Yvon Laroche and Guy Saint Arnaud also contributed a little and hence their credit. Amik was never intended to be a ‘cartoon of a beaver’, instead it was important to preserve the dignity and spirit of the animal. In this version of Amik (he also came with a singular red sash with the symbol of the Games) he wears a rainbow of ribbons. “We chose the colours of the rainbow because these colours were attractive, they were alive, they were youthful and they were dynamic. And I believe we succeeded in our decision” said Pierre-Yves Pelletier.
From the original print run, this vintage poster is matted and framed in white with an outside frame dimension of 11 1/4 x 14 3/4.
