National Aboriginal Day

Prince Edward Island’s largest National Aboriginal Day celebration was hosted by the MCPEI on June 21 at Summerside Credit Union Place.

Several hundred people attended the festivities, hosted by Chief Darlene Bernard and Chief Brian Francis, as well as the staff of MCPEI. National Aboriginal Day is a celebration of the cultural and economic contributions made to Canada by First Nations peoples living on and off reserve.

The celebration kicked off with a barbecue and featured many guest speakers, including Chief Bernard, Chief Francis, Hon. Carolyn Bertram, as well as many others. The featured entertainment came in the form of the Lone Wolf Singers, and hoop dancer Jill Buckshot from Quebec.

Chief Francis highlighted many of the successes experienced by the PEI Mi’kmaq in recent years, including the university graduation of four PEI Aboriginals, including his own daughter Kateri, a 2008 graduate of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“The message that can be taken from the success of these graduates is…if you can dream it, you can do it. It takes hard work and commitment, but the opportunities are there for us,” said Chief Francis.

Chief Bernard talked about the positive contributions made by the Aboriginal economy to the PEI economy, and how the two should work hand in hand for the betterment of all of PEI.

“A strong PEI economy needs a strong Aboriginal economy and vice-versa,” she said.