BOWING TO JOSEPH HOWE
Dartmouth park renamed on legend's 200th birthday

by James Keller

Twelve-year-old Kevin Ahern of Dartmouth is careful to qualify his admiration for Joseph Howe.

"I liked him because of all that he did, but I'm not sure about him being an anti-confederate," he said on Monday, Howe's 200th birthday.

Kevin watched as Pocket Park in Dartmouth, across Alderney Drive from Alderney Gate, became Joe Howe Park during a noon-hour dedication ceremony.

Michael Bawtree, who has played the part of the 19th-century man several times, including during a one-man play and in a CBC documentary, started off the ceremony by re-enacting parts of one of Howe's famous speeches denouncing Confederation.

Members from the Joseph Howe Initiative and the Dartmouth Joe Howe Committee also spoke, along with MP Michael Savage (Dartmouth-Cole Harbour), Coun. Gloria McCluskey (Dartmouth Centre) and Murray Scott, Speaker of the provincial legislature.

Mr. Scott and Ms. McCluskey then unveiled a permanent tribute to Howe: a black, metal podium adorned with a blue portrait of the man considered the father of responsible government and of freedom of the press in Canada.

Finally, Charlie Mancini, a Grade 12 student at Dartmouth High School, spoke about Howe's commitment to freedom of expression. He won this year's Joseph Howe Public Speaking Contest.

Mr. Bawtree's re-enactment of Howe's speech, which he made in May 1867 within blocks of the newly named park, was especially poignant for Kevin. He still isn't sure what to make of Howe's strong opposition to Confederation.

"Maybe he's right," said Kevin.

"It doesn't sound like the federal government is looking at Nova Scotia with a big eye."

Kevin was working on a book report about Mr. Bawtree's children's book about Howe's life, and wanted to interview him.

Mr. Bawtree said one of the goals of his book, his many portrayals of Howe and his role as director of the Joseph Howe Initiative is to promote Howe's legacy among young people like Kevin.

"That's exactly what I was hoping was going to happen," he said after speaking with the 12-year-old Dartmouth boy.

He said his book has prompted many students to read up on Howe.

"My real interest was in getting a younger generation to want to know something about Joseph Howe."

Paul Robinson, chairman of the Dartmouth Joe Howe Committee, which helped organize the event, said it's not just young people who are forgetting about Howe's legacy. He said older Nova Scotians could use a lesson, too.

"Before now, we were in the dark," he said after the ceremony.

"It was part of our history and it was buried in books, but you had to dig it out. In terms of bringing it out in the general public, which is why we're out here, this is new."

The dedication was part of more than 30 activities throughout the year to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Howe's birth. The slate of events ranged from Mr. Bawtree's numerous performances of Howe's speeches, to the Joseph Howe Ball in October, and ended Monday night with a reception at Government House.

Mr. Robinson said his organization will plan more events next year.

"You have to surround people with pictures and images so they'll think about it," he said.

"The work doesn't finish here."