The somewhat obscure ceremony held at a Cornwall cemetery may have been a positive first step towards the petition for a formal royal apology sought by Warren Perrin.
Perrin is a highly respected Cajun lawyer and one of the French-Acadian movement's most active leaders in south Louisiana. He has worked diligently during the past dozen years to gain an official apology from the British monarchy for the tragedies of Le Grande Derangement.
A formal petition vs Great Britain was filed in 1990 by Perrin with the U.S. District Court in Opelousas, Louisiana. Supporters maintain that the genocidal expulsion of the Acadians over 250 years ago was illegal, inhumane, unjust, and simply wrong.
The actions of Charles Lawrence,then Lt-Governor of Nova Scotia, are cited as extreme abuse of power. Lawrence gave the orders to deport or kill the French-speaking Acadians who refused a British allegiance oath and had their properties confiscated.
During the period of 1755 to 1763, an estimated 18,000 Acadians were forced to leave their homes in Canada. Approximately half of these men, women, and children expired or vanished during their harsh exile. Those who found refuge in south Louisiana formed the ancestral core of modern Cajun people.
Unlike many other modern legalities, the petition for apology does not ask for monetary compensation or punitive damages. Instead, Perrin's requests repeat the same basic issues raised by a small group of Acadian exiles in a 1760 futile attempt to seek justice.
Specifying actions which would constitute a formal apology from the British monarchy, these are the goals of the petition: 1) restore the pre-deportation status of the Acadians as French neutrals; 2) conduct a fair panel inquiry into the expulsion circumstances; 3) enact an official annulment of the deportation order; 4) publicly acknowledge that the tragedies did occur; 5) concede that the British soldiers' actions were contrary to existing laws; 6) show good will with a monument as a symbolic gesture ending the exile.
What are the chances that Perrin's petition will be successful? Certainly the recent Cornwall memorial "A La Memoire des Acadiens" is an indication that there is a favorable sentiment. Political relations between England and America are currently excellent. Queen Elizabeth II, who is celebrating her 50th Jubilee year, plans a trip to Canada this fall. Perhaps the monarch will take that opportunity to begin the process toward granting the petition's goals, especially when she visits the historic New Brunswick area.
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