NATIONAL HISTORIC SITES OF CAPE BRETON
LIEUX HISTORIQUES NATIONAUX DU CAPE-BRETON

Vol. 5, No. 12
December 2003 - décembre 2003 

• GOVERNMENT CHANGES

Today the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Paul Martin, announced his new Cabinet and certain changes to departmental structures. Effective immediately, the Parks Canada Agency will be reporting directly to the Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment. All components of the Parks Canada Agency are being transferred, including programs relating to national parks, national historic sites, national marine conservation areas, Canadian heritage rivers, federal heritage buildings, heritage railway stations, grave sites of Canadian Prime Ministers, world heritage, the Secretariat for the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and the Historic Places Program. I have asked our Chief Administrative Officer to work with the Department of Canadian Heritage to ensure continued collaboration in the delivery of any corporate services that are still integrated with the Department of Canadian Heritage. I take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to our previous Minister, the Honourable Sheila Copps, and the Department of Canadian Heritage for their support in advancing the strategic priorities of Parks Canada. We can all take pride in our legislative renewal, the expansion of the national parks and national marine conservation areas systems, the enhancement of the national historic sites system, the progress of the Historic Places Program and our renewed partnership with Aboriginal peoples.

The next few months promise to be both busy and exciting for Parks Canada as we introduce our Minister to the Agency and our mandate. Together, we must ensure that Minister Anderson and his staff are provided with the information and materials they need to become fully familiar with the vital work Parks Canada undertakes on behalf of Canadians. It will also be important for us to establish effective and cordial working relationships with the Minister and his team. All Parks Canada employees, at all levels of the Agency, have a role to play in this regard. I know that I can count on you to offer all possible support to Minister Anderson in the days and weeks ahead, as we continue to preserve and present Canada's natural and cultural heritage. Please join me in welcoming Minister Anderson as the new Minister responsible for Parks Canada. As we pursue our common goal of protecting and presenting Canada's special places for future generations, I look forward to establishing effective relationships with the Department of the Environment.

Alan Latourelle

• Holiday Greetings

At this time of the year it is important that we take time to reflect upon how fortunate we are to live in this country, and in particular in beautiful Cape Breton Island. It is a time to give thanks and to be especially appreciative of our families and friends.

Thanks to all of you for your efforts and commitment to the special places we are entrusted to manage for Canadians now and in the future. In particular I would like to thank the compliance training team of Gina Briand, Erich Muntz, Perry Lahey and Blaine Aitkens for the excellent leadership they have shown while delivering the training on compliance to their colleagues.

• Christmas Dinner