News Release Archive
PREMIER/ENVIRONMENT--AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH-- FEBRUARY 1996 A MESSAGE FROM PREMIER JOHN SAVAGE AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTER WAYNE ADAMS ------------------------------------------------------------ Heritage is what binds people together. History is the collective lesson of a people's triumphs and troubles. At its best, it can be a roadmap of past progress that can speed up the journey toward a better tomorrow. African Heritage Month, which begins February 1, should be more than a time to appreciate the struggles and successes of ancestors. It should be a time of reflecting on the past to search for ways of straightening the path to a more just future for people of all colours. Throughout the 1950's and 1960's, black men and women across North America risked their jobs, their homes and indeed their lives, to make a better world for future generations. Today in Nova Scotia, black and white people are the beneficiaries of their courage. We must ensure the progress of history continues. Our government remains determined to continue to beat down the walls of intolerance and misunderstanding that stand in the way of progress for all Nova Scotians. Educating the young, arming them with the courage to reject stereotyping and racism can be the most powerful weapon in the war against racism. Our government's anti-racism policy extends from the classroom to the boardrooms of power. Children are now taught to examine the content of character and reject those who refuse to look beyond the colour of skin. Provincial public servants are trained in race relations and the benefits of employment equity. The Black Business Initiative is helping to reduce the number of black Nova Scotians who are without the dignity of a job. We are determined to be a government that is a shaft of light, splitting the darkness leading all Nova Scotians to a brighter, more equitable future. Black Nova Scotians are beginning to take their rightful places at the tables where decisions are made. The time has come for more blacks to step forward and become more involved in community groups, municipal, provincial and federal arenas. History is made by those who participate in the great decisions and take the big risks. We ask every Black Nova Scotian to use this month as a time to decide how they can do their share to improve their community and their province. The result could be that in future years, during future African Heritage Months, we can look back and say 1996 was a year of acceleration on the journey to a better tomorrow. Sincerely, Premier John Savage Environment Minister Wayne Adams -30- jlw Jan. 26, 1996 6:30 p.m.