Hot temperatures and plenty of sunshine greeted large crowds throughout the day at Carleton Park, along the banks of the Saint John River on Fredericton’s north side, to mark New Brunswick Day.
Premier Brian Gallant was there to cut the cake and deliver a hopeful message.
“There’s no doubt that one of New Brunswick’s strengths is the fact that we are diverse and we have different cultures and different people with different points of view,” Gallant said. “That sometimes can present challenges, but it’s also one of our best assets.”
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The premier talked about the importance of setting a day aside to celebrate New Brunswick.
“When we have gatherings like this, it’s a great time to reflect on our past, reflect on our future, and see how we’re going to work together to build prosperity in our province.”
Provincial Green Party Leader David Coon agreed.
“We need a day where we can celebrate with our families and communities the wonderful thing that is New Brunswick,” Coon stated. “Incredible people, as we all know — the First Nations, Acadian and Francophone communities and Anglophone communities.”
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Eric McGarity is a Fredericton city councillor with the event held in his ward.
“It is important to always talk about your heritage, your culture, and how we got here, living in today and what a great future we have ahead of us,” McGarity noted.
With thousands attending, some public sector union groups took advantage of the opportunity to share their message.
Todd Hill was speaking on behalf of CUPE workers.
“We’re here to represent the union, to show the people what we do for the province of New Brunswick, and that we do deserve a fair wage and the cost of living is increasing faster than the wages are going up,” Hill said.
Other activities throughout the day included a barbecue, face painting, music, pontoon rides and artisan displays.