Wednesday, November 20th, 2024, 7:00 pm (Atlantic), in-person at the Halifax Public Library. Click here for the Zoom Link.

Anne Marie Lane Jonah, Parks Canada

Abstract: 
With the BNA Act, the new government of Canada took responsibility for Sable Island. A study of the federal record of the island from the time of Confederation to the 1960s provides insight into the evolution of services on the island, the changing public perceptions of the place and its importance, and how these shaped people’s lives and work. These records document administrative struggles, labour disputes, strange and ambitious projects, moments of tragedy, and deliberations that would shape the island’s fate. Parks Canada is undertaking to better understand the island’s history and the value it represents to Canadians to guide future planning for the island. This presentation will explore the records, including photos, hand-drawn sketches, and news clippings, giving a new perspective on this well-loved, yet always mysterious island.