Parks Canada and La Société Saint-Pierre Working Together to Promote Acadian Culture
News Release
Memorandum of Understanding Focuses on Acadian Culture, Language, and Increasing Visitation to Cape Breton
September 26, 2017 Chéticamp, NS Parks Canada Agency
Parks Canada and La Société Saint-Pierre announced today the formalization of an agreement to work together in the sharing of Acadian history and preserving Acadian culture as it relates to Parks Canada’s sites on Cape Breton Island. With that in mind, these two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at La Société Saint-Pierre’s annual general meeting, which marked its 70th year as a society, held yesterday in Chéticamp, Nova Scotia.
This three-year MOU focuses on opportunities to promote the Acadian culture and language as well as increase the number of visitors to Cape Breton Island and the Chéticamp area. It formalizes a 10 year relationship that has seen collaborations on research projects and books related to the story Cap-Rouge – a once vibrant community of fishers and farmers that was home to generations of Acadian families. It has brought the story of Jeanne Dugas to the forefront. A pioneer in the history of Acadian women, Dugas was born in Louisbourg in 1731, co-founded Chéticamp circa 1785, and was designated a National Historic Person by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 2014. The collaboration has also highlighted the close relationship between the family of Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell and Lillian Burke who established the hooked rug cottage industry in Chéticamp, in the late 1920s.
Current projects the two organizations are advancing include the fourth edition of the Roots to Boots Festival and the telling of the Acadian story at Cape Breton Highlands National Park’s Trout Brook (Ruisseau des Maurice) campground, scheduled to open in 2019. Other collaborations include Le Festival de l’Escaouette, Canada Day and Canada 150 celebrations and La Marche du Facteur, a postal run commemorating the route the local postmaster once traveled between Chéticamp and Pleasant Bay.
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, the Government of Canada invites Canadians to learn more about our history. The Government is creating opportunities for Canadians to participate in a year-long celebration and to help shape the best that Canada can be in the future.
Additional multimedia
Quotes
“We are so pleased to be formalizing this long-standing relationship with La Société Saint-Pierre with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding. By encouraging Canadians to visit their national parks and historical places, and providing them with the information and means to enjoy them, Parks Canada allows more Canadians to experience the outdoors and learn about our heritage. We look forward to continuing our work with La Société Saint-Pierre to share and connect the Acadian story with local communities, Canadians, and international visitors to Cape Breton Island.”
Blair Pardy
Cape Breton Field Unit Superintendent, Parks Canada
“La Société Saint-Pierre is very proud of this official acknowledgement of our collaboration with Parks Canada. We recognize and value the support we continue to receive from the Parks Canada’s team here on Cape Breton Island. We look forward to continuing the good work on other initiatives of common interest. In our 70th anniversary year of La Société Saint-Pierre, we are proud to formalize our good working relationship on these various significant cultural initiatives."
Joseph-Henri Poirier
President, La Société Saint-Pierre
Quick Facts
-
La Société Saint-Pierre is a non-profit organization founded in Nova Scotia in 1947 with the mandate to promote and preserve Acadian culture and language. La Société works in partnership with other local organizations in community development projects and also cultural programming for the community such as the annual festival, “Le Festival de l’Escaouette”.
-
Parks Canada has one national park and five national historic sites in Cape Breton and Canso: Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, Marconi National Historic Site, Canso Islands National Historic Site, and St. Peters Canal National Historic Site.
-
The Government is very pleased to offer free admission for all visitors to national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
Associated Links
Contacts
Darlene Doucet
Parks Canada Agency
902-224-4230
darlene.doucet@pc.gc.ca
Lisette Aucoin-Bourgeois
Executive Director, La Société Saint-Pierre
902-224-2642
lisettebourgeois@ns.sympatico.ca
lisettebourgeois@gmail.com
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca