The French – Acadian Convention.

Year
1881
Month
5
Day
13
Article Title
The French – Acadian Convention.
Page Number
2
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – THE DATE FIXED FOR CALLING THE CONVENTION A PROGRAMME DECIDED UPON – INVITED GUESTS, &c. SHEDIAC, May 11. – The Executive committee of the coming Convention of the French – Acadians of the Maritime Provinces met here yesterday and sat till eleven o’clock last night. Hon. P. A. Landry chairman; G. A. Girouard, M.P., secretary; Hon. Messrs. Jos. Arseneau and Poirier from P.E. Island, and Urbain Johnson, M.P.P., were present. The Committee was also honored with the presence of Very Rev. Father Lefebvre, and Rev. Fathers Belliveau, from Moncton and Lefloch. All were confident that the ultimate success of the work of the Committee, as well as that of the Convention, would well repay the trouble of attending the organisation. It was decided that the convention would meet at St. Joseph’s College, Memramcook, on Wednesday and Thursday, July 20th, and 21st. Every Acadian congregation will be entitled to send three delegates, every priest being a delegate ex officio. Sub-committees were appointed to study and report to the Convention on the following subjects: - 1st. The desirability of establishing and celebrating a common national feast. 2nd. Education and the best means to promote it among the Acadians. 3rd. Agriculture; the necessity of its improvement, to attain a first rank among our neighbours. 4th. Colonization and immigration, how to further the one in order to stop the other. 5th. The Press, its power and its influence. The necessity of encouraging it and multiplying papers in the three Provinces. Among the invited speakers will be, from abroad, Mr. E. Rameau, our friend and historian from France, the President of St. John the Baptist Society of Quebec, the President of the Quebec Convention of last year, Judge Routhier and Hons. Messrs. Chapleau and Laurier. The committee was enlarged by adding several gentlemen, and among others Messrs. Pascal Poirier, L. Theriault, M.P.P. our professional men and the editor of the Moniteur Acadien. An appeal was written to invite all the French parishes in the Maritime Provinces to send representatives to the Convention, which will appear in this week’s Moniteur. The meeting adjourned after eleven o’clock, having done a good deal of work, and having appointed an active committee to promote the work. Hon. Mr. Landry was requested to visit our brethren in Nova Scotia and P.E. Island, as soon as practicable in order to organise and set the movement in motion. – SUN.