While word that the Gallant Government has created a Celtic Affairs cabinet post received a frosty reception from some, Celtic groups in New Brunswick are welcoming it warmly.
Chair of New Brunswick’s Celtic Affairs Committee Pat Murphy says they’ve worked towards this for quite a long time, presenting a report and recommendations to the government several years ago. Murphy says Celtic people in this province have been historically underrepresented.
“Celtic people of New Brunswick speak English but we’re not English…our culture is not English, our culture is Irish and Scottish, it’s Gaelic. And up until now the government didn’t recognize us as a separate culture.”
Murphy believes this could possibly push the development of Partridge Island, off the coast of Saint John, forward.
“Partridge Island is very important in the history of Scottish and Irish and I think this will give us a chance to have a little bit more input into what happens there. Certainly we’d like to see something very worthwhile happen there.”
Partridge Island is North America’s first quarantine station and it has been off-limits for decades though people do still go there. The island was designated a national historic site of Canada in the 1970s because of the major role it had in immigration to the Maritimes in the 19th centure. In March it was made known that it would cost between $27-32-million dollars to engineer the breakwater connecting the island to Saint John for safe travel by visitors.
Lisa Harris is the Minister responsible for Celtic Affairs.
