WHEREAS french and Acadian seHlers came here in 1720. fo Isle- Sainf—Jean, and esfablished fhe firsf permanenf European sefflemenl on +he Island, living side-by-side wifh fhe Mi'kmaq:

AND WHEREAS 250 years ago. in 1758. fhe Brifish order of Deporfafion of Island Acadians sentenced enfire

= communifies +0 exile and deprived {hem of ltheir peaceful way of life:

AND WHEREAS fwo—fhirds of lrhe seHlers were forciny expulsed, 1.700 of whom perished, while ofhers fled. sparing only a couple of hundred individuals by mid-l759:

AND WHEREAS fhe Deporlafion inflicfed Suffering and hardships fhaf shaped fhe indomifable spirif of fhe Acadian people, spirif fhaf is alive and well foday:

AND WHEREAS fhe Acadian and francophone communily is an infegral

I parf of fhe social fabric of our province and acfively confribu’res fo all aspecfs of Island socie’ry:

AND WHEREAS +he Acadian and francophone communify has buil'r a dynamic nefwork of ins+i+ufions. like fhe Société Sainf-Thomas-d’Aquin and fhe Collège Acadie Î.—P.-É.. +ha+ ensure bofh ifs growfh and i'rs vifaliiy:

AND WHEREAS insfifufions such as schools and communi+y centres. french public libraries. +he Acadian Museum. among ofhers. ensare lhal’ fhe Acadian culfure and french language are nof

MOTION 12 DES MEMBRES DE L’ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ÎLE-DU-PRINCE ÉDOUARD LE VENDREDI 2 MAI 2008 EN COMMÉMORATION DE LA DEPORTAHON DE L’ÎLE SAINT-JEAN

only preserved. but continue fo flourish:

AND WHEREAS all Islanders would benefif from gaining beHer undersl’anding of ihe Deporiafion and of fhe significance of ihe province's rich Acadian herifage:

AND WHEREAS governmenfs have paved ihe way over fhe lasi 30

years for fhe presen’r members of

fhe Legislafive Assemny fo supporf linguisiic dualify in Prince Edward Island now, and for future generai‘ions:

THEREFORE BE |T RESOLVED fhaf fhe Legislafive Assembly encourage all Islanders fo parlicipafe in fhe various aciivifies which will fake place lhroughouf fhe year +o commemorafe fhe Deporfafion and celebrafe fhe vifalify of lhe Acadian and francophone communify. no’rably fhe unveiling of a mOnumenf fhis summer al Porf—la-Joye-forf- Amhersf Nafional Hisforic Sife. fhe localion of +he original french seHlemenl;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED fhaf fhe Governmenf of Prince Edward Island activer pursue ifs commifmenf fo fhe developmenf and enhancemen’r of fhe Acadian and francophone communily.

Roberf Ghiz Sonny Gallanl

LA PETITE SOUVENANCE

2008 1