The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in collaboration with the Department of National Defence will be holding a ceremony in Honour and Remembrance of No. 2 Construction Battalion on July 9, 2022.
The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in collaboration with the Department of National Defence will be holding a series of events in Honour and Remembrance of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, beginning on July 5th, 2022, and most notably an apology from the Federal Government on July 9th.
Events to include the update of the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada monument in Pictou by Parks Canada, a new interpretive display at the Black Cultural Centre, and the much-anticipated National Apology by the Government of Canada. This apology will be made to the relatives and descendants of the members of No. 2 Construction Battalion that served with distinction in the First World War but faced anti-Black racism.
These events will occur one hundred and six years following the formation of the historic Battalion in 1916.
Events
National Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada – Pictou Monument Update
Tuesday, July 5, 2022 in Pictou, Nova Scotia – 11 am Atlantic
87 Caladh Ave, Pictou, NS (Approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes from Halifax/Dartmouth or 50 minutes from Truro)
No. 2 Construction Battalion Interpretive Display – Black Cultural Centre
Thursday, July 7, 2022 in Cherry Brook, Nova Scotia – 11 am Atlantic
Black Cultural Centre for NS, 10 Cherry Brook Road, NS
The event will also be streamed online.
National Apology to the Descendants and Families of the No. 2 Construction Battalion
Saturday, July 9, 2022 in Truro, Nova Scotia – 12:30 p.m. (AST) Parade and 1:00 pm Ceremony
Truro Amateur Athletics Club Grounds, 57 Golf Street, Truro, Nova Scotia. (Approx. 1 hour from Halifax/Dartmouth)
This will be an outdoor event with an inclement weather alternative in place.
The event will be broadcast live across Canada on Eastlink Community TV our host broadcaster. (Eastlink TV serving: Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland, part of Ontario and Alberta as well as Delta and the Sunshine Coast in B.C.) and online at www.no2-cef.ca.
Limited community bus service will be available, details and registration will begin in June. This bus service will be from the following communities: Halifax, Dartmouth, Cape Breton, Antigonish, New Glasgow, Amherst, Digby, Kentville, Yarmouth and Shelburne.
Descendants are asked to register online to receive updates and latest news, if they haven’t already done so.
Formal apology to No. 2 Construction Battalion
The Nova Scotia-based battalion served in the First World War. It was the first military unit in Canada made up largely of Black personnel.
They did suffer discrimination and we need to recognize that, we need to call it out and apologize for it.
Anita Anand, Canada’s minister of defence
