A perfect legacy project

As published in The Guardian on June 16, 2012

Editor:
I refer to the article 'Legacy money looks scarce for 2014 celebration' (The Guardian, June 11, 2012).
The built legacy to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference in 1964 was the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Every province provided 15 cents per capita for the construction, matched by the ruling Liberal federal government under Lester Pearson. Interestingly, Prime Minister Pearson introduced the Canadian flag at around the same time.

The fact that it appears that, according to Mayor Clifford Lee, there will be no funding provincially or federally for a built legacy to commemorate the 150th anniversary is an indication as to how this country has changed its values over the years. A provincial museum is sorely lacking in this province and has been talked about for years while valuable historical artifacts are still evidently deteriorating in leaky storage (artifactory) at an old vehicle maintenance building in West Royalty.

What a perfect built legacy a permanent museum would be. The seat of Confederation needs a museum. Are we to wait another 50 years?

The present Harper government is in so many ways destroying traditional Canadian values, this issue being a prime example. Harper's dictatorial 'divide and conquer' policy is taking its toll in no uncertain terms. A once-proud country has fragmented into a lack of unity across the provinces.

In conclusion, shame on Minister Gail Shea for not negotiating on behalf of P.E.I. in her position as minister of national revenue in the Harper regime. Maybe she could 'loosen the purse strings' a bit.

John R. Shakespeare,
Charlottetown