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June 4, 1997
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

Cabot Celebrations an Opportunity for Aboriginal Message

Tourism, Culture and Recreation Minister Sandra Kelly says the Cabot 500 Celebrations will undertake every effort to ensure Aboriginal concerns are given serious attention during the 500th anniversary year.

"This has in fact been a prime concern of Cabot 500 since planning for the celebrations began several years ago," Kelly says. "During the planning process, approaches were made to Aboriginal groups in Newfoundland and Labrador asking if and how they would like to take part in events for 1997."

Kelly noted that some Aboriginal groups declined to participate, and others, such as the Innu Nation and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, agreed. Representatives of these Aboriginal bodies are scheduled to make key presentations at the Cabot and His World Symposium, a major Cabot 500 event taking place in St. John's and Bonavista from June 11 to the 15.

These presentations are to focus on Newfoundland and Labrador before Cabot's arrival, and the ramifications for Aboriginal people following the 1497 landfall.

"A key objective of the Cabot celebrations is to put historical issues in context," Kelly says. "We have been striving vigorously to publicly dispense with any notion that Cabot "discovered" Newfoundland and Labrador, as Aboriginal people walked the hills, shores and barrens of this province thousands of years before Cabot arrived."

Kelly says last week she wrote to Assembly of First Nations national chief Ovide Mercredi strongly indicating the Cabot Celebrations' ongoing interest in recognizing Aboriginal concerns, and has requested an opportunity to speak with him on the issue.

Additionally, the Minister spoke with Innu Nation president Katie Rich today to reaffirm the approach of the Cabot anniversary in identifying further opportunities for Aboriginal participation on their own terms.

"The Cabot 500 Celebrations are a huge international event, and have the potential to be of immense and long-lasting benefit for this province," Kelly says. "We appreciate it also represents an opportunity for Aboriginal peoples to put forward a strong, constructive message on their heritage and we would very much like to work with them on getting the message out."

Contact: Laura Cochrane, Director of Communications, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. (709) 729-0928