G’day there!

It’s September 2 today. The second of September. Can someone please tell me where the bleedin’ heck August went? Or July, for that matter? I feel like we should be printing ‘missing’ adverts on milk cartons. Christ, I was to Starbucks yesterday and you know what? They’ve already brought forth the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Pumpkin Spice. Pumpkin. Spice. At this rate, I fully expect to be haunted by Christmas music in stores near me come October. The world’s gone mad, I tell you. Absolutely mad.

But I jest. I do. There’s not much good in complaining. Never is, never will be. It is what it is, as they say. And anyway, September ain’t so bad; in fact, as it just so happens, it’s actually a significant month in Island history, with the first week and a bit (1-9) marking the anniversary of the all-important Charlottetown Conference way back when in 1864. You know the one. The nation-making booze fest. I’ve discussed it before, albeit in passing.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking; in fact, I can almost hear the collective groan. But Isaac, we’ve been through all of this already, two years ago. And you’re right. Back in 2014, we in Prince Edward Island spent the whole of a year ringing in the sesquicentennial of the Charlottetown Conference. We partied all day, every day, 365 times over. Some thought it epic, others ad nauseam. I got a work contract out of it. Actual money. It was great.

Anyway, I’m verging on rambling. It’s Film Friday after all, and I fear I’ve already written too much as it is. C’mon, just give us something to watch and be done with it you fool. OK. Alright. But what exactly do I have in store for you? Has this all been some sort of strange lead-in to newly discovered, never-before-seen, top-secret, impossibly captured motion picture footage of the conference 152 years ago? Of course not – that would be ridiculous. Awesome, mind you, but ridiculous. Nope, I decided to break the mould a bit this week (gasp), and instead of a historic film, I’m presenting you with a video about a seminal event in both provincial and national history. As your guide on this brief foray into the importance of the Charlottetown Conference, you will have the dean of Island history himself, Dr. Ed MacDonald. I’m leaving you in good hands.

You’ll note that this video was actually produced over two years ago. Perhaps you’ve seen it, but I’m willing to bet many of you haven’t. It may seem weird and irrelevant to be posting it now, and to be honest I did think that at first; however, we are fast approaching the 150th anniversary of Confederation in July 2017 and since Charlottetown was the first stop on that road to nationhood, well, maybe it does make sense to resurrect it. Either way, it only amounts to a little over two minutes of your life, and seeing as how you’ve come this far you may as well watch it. It’s all you’re getting this week.

Anyway, enjoy!

Cheers,

PEI History Guy

P.S. – So now that you’ve watched it, Charlottetown…cradle of the country? Or merely a gimmick? Feel free to discuss in the comment section below. All views welcome – no judgement to be found here.