P.E.I. legislature calls for Confederation Bridge to be renamed Epekwitk Crossing

The P.E.I. legislature has voted unanimously to induce the federal authorities to vary the identify of the Confederation Bridge to Epekwitk Crossing. 

P.E.I. Premier Dennis King put ahead the movement on Friday, with help from the leaders of the Official Opposition Inexperienced Celebration and the Liberal Celebration. 

Epekwitk, pronounced ehb-uh-gwihd, is the unique identify given by the Mi’kmaq for the land now recognized as Prince Edward Island.  

In his remarks concerning the movement, formally referred to as Movement 116, King thanked P.E.I. senators Brian Francis and Percy Downe for his or her work on the movement, in addition to the opposition events for his or her help.

“Prince Edward Island is acknowledged and celebrated because the birthplace of the Canadian Confederation. But few acknowledge that this challenge got here at a terrific value to Indigenous Folks,” Francis mentioned in a media launch. “From 1867 onwards, we grew to become the goal of violent strategy of dispossession, displacement, exploitation and elimination, which continues to affect our lives right now.

“The renaming of the bridge to ‘Epekwitk Crossing’ would serve to honour the power and resilience of the Mi’kmaq.”

The movement mentioned it’s of the “utmost significance” to acknowledge Indigenous languages. It coincides with the primary yr of the Worldwide Decade of Indigenous Language, which attracts consideration to their loss attributable to colonialism and different elements.

“The renaming of the bridge can play an vital function in acknowledging the true historical past of our province and present that we’re working collectively to advance lasting reconciliation between the Mi’kmaq and all Islanders and Canadians,” Downe mentioned within the launch.

In talks about subsequent steps

When the bridge was constructed within the Nineties, a committee really helpful it’s named Abegweit Crossing (Abegweit is the anglicized model of Epekwitk) primarily based on public submissions, however that identify wasn’t chosen by the federal authorities. The opposite selections have been Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Strait Bridge.

King says he has been in discussions with federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc about subsequent steps.

“Renaming of Confederation Bridge to Epektwik Crossing is a method for Prince Edward Island and Canada to indicate a dedication to upholding the rights of Indigenous Folks, that are protected beneath the Structure,” the movement says.

King mentioned the identify Abegweit is “entrenched in all of our lives with out possibly even us realizing it.”

He made reference to the outdated Abegweit ferry, the outdated Charlottetown Abegweit Membership and the Charlottetown Abbies hockey crew as examples.

“To consider how we are able to take that connection all of these years previous into the longer term and to place that identify again on to the connection now we have to the mainland the place it is so well-deserved to be, I believe it is … a vital step for utilizing the method that we have launched into towards reconciliation, towards forgiveness and higher understanding.”