Ottawa, 16 August 2022 (TDI): On 15 August every year, Canada celebrates National Acadian Day. The purpose of designating this day as Acadian Day is to celebrate the Acadian people’s cultural vitality and enduring heritage.
It highlights the contribution of Acadians to the Canadian cultural fabric, recognizes their historical presence on the land, and celebrates their cultural specificity in all its diversity.
The day was first introduced in 1881 during the National Convention of the Acadians in Memramcook, New Brunswick. During the convention, Acadian leaders received the mandate to set a date for celebrating and recognizing the district nationality of Acadians.
The selection of one date upon which all the Acadian leaders agreed was a subject of debate during the convention. However, the 15th of August was finally chosen according to the feast of the Assumption of Mary, celebrated on 15 August to keep Acadians closer to their French origin.
Legislation to support National Acadian Day was passed by Canada’s federal and provincial governments in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Eventually, the Parliament of Canada announced National Acadian Day, an official Canadian holiday, on 19 June 2003.
It is noteworthy that Acadians are an ethnic and cultural group of French descent who settled in northeastern North America. Their name comes from the area of Canada they settled in, which was part of the Maritime Provinces of the northeastern seaboard.
Message from Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, also joined Canadians in celebrating the day. In a statement he issued on Monday, the Prime Minister mentioned that Acadian Day is a celebration of the unique culture of Acadians who have enriched Canada since its foundation.
Today, we celebrate the rich heritage and unique culture of the Acadian people. Read Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement on #NationalAcadianDay: https://t.co/2eP1ZvqW5v
— CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) August 15, 2022
He highlighted that Acadians safeguarded their dynamic identity for 400 years in North America. He said that this identity inspires people beyond the borders of Acadie and is deeply connected with the history of Canada.
Prime Minister Justin reminded the day has been celebrated since 1881 with pride throughout Canada. He added that these celebrations also highlight Canada’s diversity and the strength of the French identity in Canada.
Consequently, he added that the Government of Canada would continue to support the development of French-speaking minority communities. Moreover, he encouraged all Canadians to learn more about the Acadians’ history, culture, and contributions.
Statement by Minister of Official Languages of Canada
The Minister of Official languages of Canada, Marie Ginette Petitpas Taylor, also wished all Acadians a Happy Acadian Day. She emphasized that the day was an opportunity to celebrate Acadians’ culture, history, and identity.
Today marks National Acadian Day, an opportunity to celebrate our culture, our history and our identity as Acadians. To all my Acadian friends celebrating today, happy National Acadian Day! #15aout
— Ginette Petitpas Taylor (@GinettePT) August 15, 2022
Embassy of Canada in France
The embassy of Canada in France also observed National Acadian Day.
[#Francophonie 🍁] Happy National #Acadian Day – a great opportunity to celebrate the French-speaking population of Atlantic Canada 🇨🇦! With Le Grand Tintamarre, Acadians celebrate their history, their culture and their language with music and joy! 👉 https://t.co/0Tuk5U15Kg pic.twitter.com/7ew5GrpLaH
— Embassy of Canada in France (@CanEmbFrance) August 15, 2022
It highlighted that the day was a great opportunity to celebrate the French-speaking population of Atlantic Canada.
