News Release
HRM Hopeful Federal, Provincial Governments Join in Offer
(Friday, April 30/2004)- Halifax Regional Council is hopeful the Federal and Provincial Governments will join with the municipality in its offer to further commemorate the former community of Africville, Mayor Peter Kelly said today.
In a letter this week to African-Nova Scotia Affairs Minister Barry Barnet, Mayor Kelly advised the province that HRM extended an offer to the Africville Genealogical Society in 2002, which has not been formally rejected. HRM had been reluctant to make the offer public in the interest of being respectful to the Africville Genealogical Society by keeping ongoing discussions out of the media. The letter was copied to Fisheries and Oceans Minister Geoff Regan, MP for Halifax West.
The framework for resolution includes:
Mayor Kelly said Regional Council established the framework for the offer and was very clear that there would be no personal compensation, no dwellings on the land, and no funding for entrepreneurial purposes.
"Given that it has been recently alleged that HRM has offered nothing in the way of compensation or reparation to the descendants of the Africville community, we felt it necessary to release the details of our offer to the public. We feel this offer would serve the broader interests of the community by recognizing the role Africville plays in our history and culture," he said.
Mayor Kelly also stated that HRM has documented commitments on file from both the federal and Nova Scotia governments to provide funding to assist with construction of the church/interpretive centre.
The Mayor suggested the Provincial and Federal Governments meet soon to discuss quantifying the amount of financial support each will bring to the table to supplement the funding that HRM has already offered.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
