in a project together, both communities,
on digitalizing the Vimy Ridge story. l know that if you go on the veteran’s website you can still see that and that gives you an example again of how Acadian people still work with us (lndistinct) everybody and the contribution back and forth is terrific.
The other part | thought l might also mention is - because l know we mentioned different people that made a great contribution, but there's some ordinary people in the community too. People like Jeannita Bernard who’s made a great contribution to health community. The other part, she's also co-chair of the Canada celebrations.
lalready mentioned Léonce. lthink we really should mention Wilfred Arsenault as well. Wilfred was a member in the House and he has been well known for his belief in community economic development for
a long time. Another person that l've been able to get to know for a number of years is Fr. Eloys Arsenault, a terrific member of the church.
lthought maybe what we should do to conclude this is - would members of the House please stand and we do a moment of silence remembering and honouring the 250‘h anniversary?
[There was a moment of silence]
Speaker: The hon. Memberfrom Stratford-Kinlock.
Ms. Dunsford: Merci, Madame la Présidente.
Je veux parler juste pour une minute
et dire bonjour, salut et bienvenue a‘ Georges, Ricky et Donald et les autres. Aussi, je suis la présidente de cette région de l’Assemb/ée parlementaire de la francophonie et j'aimerais me lever
à l’appui de cette motion. C’est tout (lndistinct) juste comme moi. Alors en anglais je vais dire -
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
ljust want to speak for a minute and say hello, greetings, and welcome to Georges, Ricky and Donald and the others. Also,
l am president of this section of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly and lwould like to rise and support this motion. lt’s all (lndistinct) iust like me. So in English, l’ll say -
PAGE 34
lgrew up in Moncton, New Brunswick, and spent my summers in Shediac where the French Acadians are very vibrant and still are very strong, very connected to their culture as they are here on Prince Edward lsland.
l've attended many festivals in my youth. Many of my French were of Acadian decent so it became - l think maybe even myfirst boyfriend was French. l did learn how to crack open a Iobster with my bare hands.
An Hon. Member: That’s a good thing. Ms. Dunsford: lt is a good thing.
lcan tell you that in New Brunswick, being the only bilingual province in Canada, there is an incredible feeling in New Brunswick between the Acadian culture and the English—European culture. They really find a way to work together. l know here on Prince Edward lsland that movement gets better and better all the time.
There’s a few more Acadians living in New Brunswick. There's more of a recognition there as a bilingual province. l guess having grown up there and having had that experience, some of the things that still remain with me are influenced by my teachers.
À l’école secondaire on enseignait les chansons de Gilles Vigneault et Robert Charlebois, comme les chansons Gens du pays et j'ai continué a‘ chanter cette chanson avec beaucoup de fierté.
Merci, Madame la Présidente,
My high school instruction included songs by Gilles Vigneault and Robert Charlebois,
songs like Gens du pays and I continued to sing that song with much pride.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Some Hon. Members: Hear, hear! Speaker: The hon. Minister of Agriculture
Mr. LeClair: Madam Speaker, l would like to get up and endorse this motion as well and speak a bit to this motion because TignishuPalmer Road has a huge Acadian and Francophone presence.
As you can tell by my name. Ithink l have some ofthat blood in me as well. My father's family is Acadian-Francophone
and in Tignish-Palmer Road we've basically grown together. The English and French communities have grown together and we
LA PETITE SOUVENANCE
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basically do everything, and there’s a mix of culture in all the people there. l can tell you that you can see the Acadian culture corne out in everything that's basically done around Ttgnish-Palmer Road, especially the Palmer Road area.
There's a great spirit in the Acadians and especially in the music, and they have a knack for getting together and having a good time, every time they do get together. Doesn’t matter who they bring in. l see that a lot in our fundraising efforts where they get together and put on so many difierent community fundraisers for everything, especially for people in need.
As l was growing up l spent a lot of time
in the Rustico area, because my father's brother, Fr. Joe, was a parish priest there. When we were young we spent a lot of time there. Especially around the bank in Rustico there. We know that place pretty good. A lot of our summers were spent there and we had a great time when we were young fellows with Fr. Joe.
My aunt Ann Marie Perry is a huge - she was a huge Acadian supporter and a huge cultural person and she did a lot forthe French on Prince Edward lsland, especially in our area. She's certainly missed. She passed away a few years ago. A good supporter of the Premier as well. Yeah, she passed away a couple ofyears ago and - she's well remembered in our area for being a huge Acadian and supporter ofthe French in our area.
We have the French school in DeBlois, we have French mass, we have our meat pies, we have our fricot, we have our (lndistinct), our (lndistinct). We have everything with the Acadian culture is in Tlgnish—Palmer Road. lt’s a great place to live and a great society to live in.
ljust wanted to get up and recognize the expulsion, and recognize that the Acadians are alive and well, and really appreciate it.
Thank you. Some Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Speaker: The hon. Memberfrom Alberton-Roseville.
Mr. Murphy: Thank you, Madam Speaker
Although you wouldn’t know it by the name of Alberton-Roseville it's also home to a
2008