PAQTNKEK MI'KMAW NATION, N.S. - A relationship between two neighbouring Nova Scotia communities, one a First Nations community and the other a county municipality, which has been growing closer and stronger over the past number of years, was celebrated May 5 with the “historic” signing of an official Friendship Accord.
Antigonish MLA Randy Delorey, who grew up in a Municipality of the County of Antigonish community not far from Paqtnkek First Nation, said, “I’ve never seen such progress, in the last 40 years, as I have in the last five, in building and enhancing the relationship.”
Delorey was one of many speakers during a morning ceremony which featured, as the highlight, the signing of the accord by Paqtnkek Chief Paul ‘PJ’ Prosper and Antigonish County Warden Owen McCarron.
Amongst the other dignitaries speaking during the event were Canadian Senators Dan Christmas and Mary Coyle, executive director of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq Don Julien, Town of Antigonish Mayor Laurie Boucher and Bill Karsten, representing the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and Tracy Menge from the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO), organizations which helped the two communities come together to create and implement a Municipal Community Economic Initiative (CEDI).
Both Prosper and McCarron noted the importance of the CEDI as they took turns at the mic; introducing the speakers and giving their own opening and closing remarks.
“We started the process through CEDI in November of 2016, so this is us, sort of, putting all the pieces together and finding the right mix of what a Friendship Accord should look like,” McCarron said, talking to reporters at the conclusion of the event.
“It took some time but we wanted to make sure we didn’t rush it and to make sure it represented the two communities and how we, sort of, embody each other’s spirit; recognizing and respecting the cultures. It took time for us to bring all that together and today’s celebration is fantastic.”
“It’s truly symbolic,” Prosper said of the accord.
“It’s something that marks our relationship; a milestone in the history of our community and surrounding communities. I’m just so honoured to be part of this event.
In his opening remarks, Prosper, like McCarron, noted the relationship being based on “recognition and respect.”
“We’re not limited by our past and recognize the need to come together and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. To nurture that relationship and set forth a new future, a new timeline, for the benefits of not only our communities today but those generations who are coming.”
At times during the event, the significance of signing the accord was displayed in Prosper’s emotions.
“I’ve been part of various public gatherings and ceremonies but what really got me was the pipe ceremony,” he said. “When that pipe is shared amongst dignitaries and people who were part of this occasion, it marked the sacredness of this ceremony.
“And then, when I looked at the sun coming out and the eagles flying over it sort of marked, in my mind, that this event is truly special. That the creator and our ancestors are here with us marking this historic event … so there was a bit of emotion in there, yes.”
Emotion was also evident as McCarron spoke, especially as he referenced his close friend and former warden, Russell Boucher, who passed away this month last year, as playing a huge role in getting the ball rolling towards the day.
“When the CEDI project was first announced and brought to Russell, he was super enthusiastic about building this relationship,” McCarron said.
“He felt the need to do it; that it had been far too long that we hadn’t had a formalized relationship. So we were so happy when Rose Paul (Paqtnkek economic development officer) made the initial application. Russell saw the benefit of that and brought it to our council. We endorsed it immediately and he was a true champion.
“The first two (CEDI) workshops that Russell was involved in, he was completely in his element; talking about the relationship between our two communities. So he was a true champion of it from the beginning and we’re proud to continue in honour of Russell.”
The signing was held in a gazebo structure at Welnek/Summerside, which is a small cove area off Antigonish Harbour. Prosper talked about the significance of the location.
“This place of Walnek is the perfect setting,” he said. “There is a lot of history here in terms of the relationship our community has; initially through the church – the Catholic church – and later on through the treaty relationships.
“This is where our loved ones have come to their resting place. There are celebrations and events we have here, so it’s one of those things where it’s, historically, part of our continuing relationship.”
Back up Summerside Road and further down Hwy. 104, towards Cape Breton, is the work on the Paqtnkek highway interchange project which will greatly enhance economic opportunities for the community. McCarron talked about the relationship between that project and the morning events.
“Really they ran simultaneously,” he said
“The highway interchange project was something the First Nations community was working on. The Friendship Accord and CEDI partnership was something that Rose, initially, put an application into the FCM for and then, when the county was approached, we just saw this as a natural thing to do.
“So the two are independent of one another but the collaboration and the benefits of working together, for both communities, we’re now seeing examples starting to play out.”
