Castlegar, BRITISH COLUMBIA, September 30, 2012 -- The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced the unveiling of two Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaques commemorating Peter Vasilyevich Verigin as a person of national historic significance and the Migration of Doukhobors to British Columbia as an event of national historic significance.
"The commemoration of both Peter V. Verigin and the Migration of Doukhobors to British Columbia helps to protect and present the important contribution of the Doukhobor community to the very fabric of our multicultural nation," said Minister Kent. "Today, the Doukhobor community continues to enrich our country by helping to instil the value of 'Toil and Peaceful Life', as embodied in Doukhobor teachings and demonstrated through Doukhobor culture."
Peter Vasilyevich Verigin developed a theory of Christian communalism consistent with core Doukhobor teachings and practices that played a key role in the community's history. He helped orchestrate Doukhobor immigration to Canada in 1898-1899 and built communal villages on the Prairies. Verigin later organized the mass migration of his followers to British Columbia.
This migration is believed to be the largest, organized, internal migration of a cultural group in the history of Canada. Despite periods of intense pressure to assimilate, B.C.'s Doukhobor community preserved the essential elements of their religious principles and way of life. Verigin's Doukhobor settlements were considered among the most successful communal societies in North America. The Doukhobor migration to British Columbia reminds us of the resilience and determination of Canada's early settlers.
"I am proud of the work that the Government of Canada is doing in collaboration with people across the country to tell the stories of the people, places and events that have shaped our nation," added Minister Kent. "Peter Verigin is a remarkable figure in Canadian history and the two stories being commemorated today are nationally significant pieces of the Canadian Doukhobor experience."
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada was established in 1919 and is supported by Parks Canada. It advises the Minister of the Environment regarding the national significance of places, persons and events that have marked Canada's history. On behalf of the people of Canada, Parks Canada manages a nationwide network that makes up a rich tapestry of Canada's historical heritage and offers the public opportunities for real and inspiring discoveries.
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