Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment today to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the deportation of the Acadians from Prince Edward Island.
In the mid-1700s, Île St-Jean, as Prince Edward Island was then known, was home to several thousand Acadian residents. When the British gained control of the island in 1758, they deported at least 3,000 Acadians. Two ships, the Duke William and the Violet, which were carrying deported Acadians, sunk off the coast of France. Seven hundred lives were lost. To avoid deportation, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 Acadians escaped to the province of Quebec, the province of New Brunswick or hid in more remote parts of Prince Edward Island.
The Acadians showed remarkable resilience in the face of these hardships and some eventually returned or stayed in Prince Edward Island. Now up to 25% of Prince Edward Island residents are extremely proud of their Acadian heritage.
Please join with me in remembering the expulsion of the Acadians from Prince Edward Island and from across the Maritime provinces. I hope that by reflecting on this regrettable chapter in Canadian history we can ensure that such tragedies are never repeated.