PEI
Prince Edward Island – a pastoral idyll, Canada’s smallest province, and the birthplace of the nation. It was first known as ' Epekwitk ' or “cradled on the waves”, a name given by the Mi’kmaq whose legend tells of the Great Spirit placing dark red crescent-shaped clay on the Blue Waters. Then the island saw French settlement, a British colony and a surprise invasion by two American pirates before it was given a new name (after the fourth son of King George III) and a starring role in the establishment of Canada. Even now the population of the entire province is barely a twentieth of Toronto’s, but it’s known as a relaxing holiday destination and – with its healthy crop of potatoes – one of Canada’s best places for fish and chips. For a long Labour Day weekend, we set out to learn why the province’s capital, Charlottetown, is called the cradle of confederation. At the Charlottetown Conference in 1864, representatives from Lower Canada (today’s Ontario), Upper Canada (Que