Heritage Minister Encourages Canada 2017 Participation in Southwest Nova Scotia

(ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, NS) Canada’s Minister of Heritage got a firsthand look at how southwest Nova Scotia is preparing for the country’s 150th birthday celebrations.

The federal Government is commemorating and supporting significant heritage milestones of a broad national perspective through the “On the Road to 2017” plan; and the Hon. Shelley Glover, federal Minister for Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, toured the area from Clare to Kings County on Friday and Saturday, meeting with municipal representatives; heritage and cultural groups; and business associations to explain and promote the initiative.

L- to R- Mayor of Annapolis Royal Michael Tompkins, the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister for Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Alan Melanson as Samuel de Champlain, and Linda Gregory Warden of the Municipality of the District of Digby.

The visit was arranged and conducted by West Nova Member of Parliament Greg Kerr as part of his ongoing effort to encourage community preparedness and collaboration in benefiting from the commemoration.

“The area has to work together to design and advance a plan that best recognizes, supports and promotes its legendary historical and cultural legacy,” Kerr said ,explaining, “Canada 2017 presents us with an opportunity that cannot be ignored.”

Kerr added that the shared process has to begin immediately, with the event only a couple of years away.

Minister Glover, at a meeting on Saturday with a number of sector representatives hosted by Annapolis Royal Mayor Michael Tompkins, underlined the pressing need for planning and preparation, and especially taking a collaborative approach.

“This is an opportunity for this wonderful area to accurately define the exceptional contribution it has made to Canadian culture and heritage, “Glover said,

The Minister commented that she was impressed with the level of community teamwork she witnessed during her visit.

“Keep working together, because this is not about a series of local initiatives; it is about building a collective legacy initiative that will connect ourselves, and especially our children, with all of Canada,” she insisted.

It was a message that the Heritage Minister also pressed the on Friday evening as she spoke to a gathering of municipal representatives from Argyle to Kings County, along with heritage and cultural leaders, in Cornwallis Park.

Attending the event Warden Linda Gregory of the Municipality of Digby said that area communities were already working together, “We have been directly communicating with each other as municipal units and closely involving our heritage, cultural and business sectors.”

Last week seven area municipal units announced they had agreed on a collaborative initiative to develop a regional heritage and cultural funding strategy to mark Canada’s 150th birthday, indicating that their respective municipal units would entertain a draft inter-municipal agreement to identify and pursue specific legacy initiatives that would benefit the entire area.

The agreement would also allow for a corporation or not-for-profit organization to be created, giving more flexibility to the municipal units.

A regional Legacy Committee, chaired by Municipality of Annapolis Chief Administrative Officer John Ferguson, has been formed and has been meeting for the past six months.

For further information contact:
Peter MacLellan
Legacy Committee Communications Coordinator
(902) 308-3331

John Ferguson
Legacy Committee Chair
(902) 532-3130

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