Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - The Government of Canada is committed to a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership.
As part of this important commitment, Darrell Samson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, today joined Norman Sylliboy, Grand Chief of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, Mi'kmaw Chiefs from across Nova Scotia, and Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, to officially re-name and re-dedicate the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Kopit Hopson 1752 into service.
Originally commissioned as the CCGS Edward Cornwallis, this multi-tasked vessel was re-named the CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752, in 2021, to honour Mi'kmaw Sagmaw (Chief) Kopit and Governor Peregrine Thomas Hopson, who together negotiated and signed the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1752. The name of the vessel was proposed by the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs.
Edward Cornwallis' name and legacy do not reflect the values that Canadians hold today. His name is a painful reminder to many Indigenous peoples of the racism, inequality and cruelty that their ancestors endured and that many still face today.
The re-naming and re-dedication of the vessel reflects the importance of upholding the Peace and Friendship Treaty commitments, and the enduring efforts of Sagmaw Kopit and Governor Peregrine Thomas Hopson to work together in collaboration and cooperation.
