Today, in front of Province House the Honourable Pat Binns, Premier of Prince Edward Island and the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Labour, officially launched the 125th Anniversary celebrations commemorating Prince Edward Island's entry into the Dominion of Canada in 1873.
On July 1, 1873, Prince Edward Island became the seventh province to enter the Dominion of Canada. In 1873, Prince Edward Island was a rural society comprised of many small villages and communities scattered across the province. As such, Islanders created their own cultures and entertainment which still define, to this day, the uniqueness of the Island way of life. It is this sense of community that Prince Edward Island wants to re-enforce and augment in celebrating the 125th Anniversary of our union with Canada.
To demonstrate the Island's pride as a province in Canada, a 125th Anniversary flag was unfurled by the Lieutenant Governor, Honourable Gilbert Clements, at the ceremony. This flag, along with a provincial flag, was presented to each of the mayors and municipal leaders to fly in front of community halls and in Island communities throughout the year.
"On this anniversary year, we should demonstrate our provincial pride by displaying our flag more openly and more often than we traditionally do," said Premier Binns. "I have asked all my ministers to ensure that provincial flags are flying in front of every provincial property, in all our provincial parks and everywhere else possible. It is a beautiful flag and embodies the sense of community that makes our province unique."
To help make this 125th Anniversary celebration a year to remember, funding assistance has been made available to Island communities which are developing festivals and events. Some 125th Anniversary project highlights include: every Thursday during the summer there will be a birthday party with cake on the grounds of Province House National Historic site; the Island Nature Trust will plant a ceremonial red oak at a special location in each county; and a new storytelling festival will take place over a four-day period in early fall at community halls across the province.
The PEI 125th Anniversary marks a special year in Island history and all Islanders are encouraged to take part in community celebrations across the province. To help build momentum throughout the year, planners and producers of festivals and events on PEI are encouraged to consider using the 125th Anniversary theme for any event they are organizing this year.
For more information, contact Martha Ellis, 125th Anniversary Coordinator, at (902) 368-0055.