In celebration of a 400th year-old revisionist non-event by political hacks
Dear Editor,
Historical Revisionism in Canada takes pride of place over historical reality, as recently proven by the non-event Celebration of the 400th birthday of the founding of Quebec City by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain on July 3, 1608.
What Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, his government and the Governor-General of Canada were really celebrating was a politically motivated non-event. Because the first French settlement in North America was on Saint-Croix Island, now on the Maine-New Brunswick border and is therefore the beginning of the French civilization in North America. But even the colony of Saint-Croix Island was founded by the French explorers Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugua de Monts in 1604, some fours years before Quebec City.
What are the real reasons for this revisionist stance on history? Perhaps an important fact has been completely left out here, one that overrides everything else in the case of the founding of New France. That both Samuel de Champlain de Champlain and Pierre Dugua de Mons were both born Huguenots (French Protestants) and that might enrage the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec, if pride of place were not given to Quebec City. Of course it has been rumoured that Samuel de Champlain later converted to Catholicism, thus the Celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City took precedence over the French settlement on Saint-Croix Island, which was discovered by Huguenot Pierre Dugua de Mons.
Even the U.S. National Parks Service on June 8, 1949, declared Saint-Croix Island to be a National Monument and on September 25, 1984, also an International Historic Site.
The Royal Canadian Mint also got into the act in 2004, and minted a 25 Cent nickel coin to celebrate Pierre Dugua de Monts colony on Saint-Croix Island, but minted a $2.00 nickel coin to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 - 2008. Perhaps there is less value to an Acadien, as opposed to a Québécois. Thus a 25 Cent coin was issued for the Acadiens and a $2.00 coin for the Québécois. And don’t forget Caisse Populaire Desjardins had exclusive rights in the distribution of the $2.00 coin that was issued to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec.
But there is another side to the celebrations now going on in Quebec City, that being the Acadiens are not looked upon by the Quebecois as equals, but as their inferiors. That being the case the Quebecois representation in the Canadian government and the parliament gives them more clout, which leaves the Acadiens in a very weak position and therefore unable to put any pressure on the government in Ottawa. So, the Harper regime decided to revise history in order for political expediency. Because Stephen Harper needed the Quebecois vote so badly that he will use every opportunity to promote Quebec, which more than likely will vote for him at the next election. Thus in the case of Canadian politicians REAL history takes a back seat to their political shenanigans. Thus it’s all a question of mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
Kenneth T. Tellis
Mississauga, ON
