The recipients are:
--Fédération régionale des arts et du patrimoine de la Baie-Sainte-Marie: $50,000.
--Tri-County Women’s Centre: $37,300.
--Digby Disabilities Partnership Committee: $30,000.
--Kespu’kwitk Métis Council: $30,000.
--West Dalhousie Community Hall Association: $15,000.
These projects are in addition to Canada 150 funding of $90,700 previously announced last October for the Conseil acadien de Par-en-Bas.
Fraser announced the funding Monday afternoon in Yarmouth’s Frost Park on behalf of Mélanie Joly, the Canadian heritage minister.
“Celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday will raise a strong sense of pride and hope for the future of our country,” Fraser said. “I am pleased to support these six community projects as part of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and encourage all constituents of West Nova to celebrate this historic anniversary and make 2017 a year to remember.”
Representatives of all three levels of government were on hand for the announcement. In addition to Fraser, speakers included Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood and Digby Mayor Ben Cleveland and Yarmouth MLA and Nova Scotia Education Minister Zach Churchill.
The announcement was preceded by a smudging and drumming ceremony by Leland Surette, Aboriginal spiritual leader. Several representatives of the Kespu’kwitk Métis Council – one of the funding recipients – were present for the occasion.
The following information on the projects receiving funding was provided as part of Fraser’s funding announcement:
Conseil acadien de Par-en-Bas: $90,700
As part of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2017, the Conseil acadien de Par-en-Bas (CAPEB) has launched a project to recognize and celebrate the Acadian population in southwestern Nova Scotia. CAPEB will organize a number of community activities in 2017, including shows by local performers and a visual arts exhibit featuring works by students from the four Acadian schools in the region. Among these presentations is the play “Évangeline, la comédie musicale,” performed by young actors and local community members. Lastly, CAPEB will mark the 150th celebrations by erecting a monument to the Acadian odyssey in the district of Argyle. The monument will commemorate Canada’s 150th anniversary and the
250th anniversary of Acadians’ return to the area.
Fédération régionale des arts et du patrimoine de la Baie-Sainte-Marie: $50,000
As part of the events marking the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, the Fédération régionale des arts et du patrimoine (FRAP) of Baie-Sainte-Marie will host activities throughout 2017 to highlight Canada and everything this beautiful country has to offer. “Célébrons notre diversité et collectivité" will offer cultural and artistic activities that bring people together to celebrate.
FRAP will also host “1867 à présent,” a storytelling day featuring musical performances, workshops on singing, photography and writing, youth outreach activities on caring for the environment, a multicultural community evening, a conference on Canada’s history, and a multimedia show featuring music, theatre, dance, poetry and art.
Tri-County Women’s Centre: $37,300
To commemorate Canada's 150th Anniversary of Confederation, the Tri-County Women’s Centre is proposing to engage and inspire the citizens in Yarmouth and surrounding communities to learn about the history and heritage of Indigenous people by hosting a four-day gathering, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds from across the Maritimes, including First Nations, Acadians, immigrants, and African Canadians. The first day will focus on healing and reconciliation. The following three days will consist of discussions and sharing of traditional teachings on First Nations’ relationship with the land and the connection they have to nature. There will be two regional gatherings at the same time from smaller geographic areas to discuss innovative First Nations initiatives.
To create a legacy, the Tri-County Women’s Centre proposes to develop 10 educational films on the traditional teachings of First Nations women, along with 20 short films that profile a First Nations woman discussing her traditions. These will be made available on a national website and on YouTube, and permission will be given to community groups, schools, universities, churches and agencies to use these films as learning tools.
Digby Disabilities Partnership Committee: $30,000
To celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary, the Digby Disabilities Partnership Committee is proposing the project “Canada Strong – The Past, The Present, & The Future”. This youth driven multidisciplinary stage production will including music, singing, dancing, drumming and storytelling that is reflective of the diverse population of Nova Scotia.
The Digby Disabilities Partnership Committee will engage youth from one of their service groups as well as from local schools in Clare, Annapolis Royal, and Digby to share their vision for the future of Canada. Through a series of sessions, youth and community members will help to frame the production based in their perspective of how the past shapes the future and including immigrant, First Nations and multicultural perspectives. Along with producing the stage show, participants will also create and record a new song, which will be presented in English, French and Mi’kmaq. The song and the stage show will be recorded and presented on DVD as a lasting legacy to this project.
Kespu’kwitk Métis Council: $30,000
To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary and support efforts towards reconciliation, the Kespu’kwitk Métis Council will host a community gathering that will bring together the Council’s membership and the general public for a day of celebration and sharing.
Western Nova Scotia has a strong multicultural community and all will be invited to come and celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial. Traditional Acadian dancers will perform. Volunteers and elders will lead demonstrations.
Participants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in traditional ceremonies and experiences. There will be Aboriginal dance and drumming, an elder will perform smudgings, and vendors will showcase traditional wares and foods. The day will conclude with a spiritual blessing and sunset ceremony.
