OTTAWA, April 6, 2015
Today I invite all Canadians to celebrate National Tartan Day, which recognizes the contributions of the Scots and their descendants to the social fabric of our country.
National Tartan Day, which was officially declared in Canada in October 2010, is an opportunity to celebrate the historical links between Scotland and Canada, and to highlight the signing in 1320 of the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish declaration of independence. The Maple Leaf Tartan was designed to be worn by Canadians as a symbol of national pride.
As we approach the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, I encourage all Canadians to celebrate the accomplishments, honour the people and commemorate the events that helped shape who we are today.
Among the events we are celebrating are the 200th anniversary of the birth of our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and the 50th anniversary of Canada’s flag. This spring, we are commemorating two more milestones of the First World War: the 100th anniversary of the Second Battle of Ypres and the 100th anniversary of John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields.”
On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I ask all Canadians across the country to celebrate, on this National Tartan Day, the Scottish Canadians who helped build this country.
Marisa Monnin
Communications Director
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
819-997-7788
