Cornwallis creep
Your feature "Called into action" is an informative perspective on Rhonda Britton and her calling as pastor of Cornwallis Street Baptist Church (Cover story, April 6). However, this statement by writer Maggie Rahr may need to be run through the fact-checker: "The church, as the street it rests on, is named for Edward Cornwallis...infamous for tendering the scalps of Mi'kmaq men, women and children."
Regarding the bounty, the 1749 proclamation reads, in part: "His Majesty's Council...do promise a reward of 10 Guineas for every Indian taken (captured) or killed, to be paid upon producing such Savage taken or his scalp." There is no reference to a bounty on women and children. Historians and researchers have found little verified data on the number of Mi'kmaw non-combatants (women and children) killed during Cornwallis' three years as governor (not governor general as the article states). —Len Canfield, Halifax
Stop that stadium
I take exception of the plan to allow Sports and Entertainment Atlantic to take sole possession of the Wanderers Grounds for a pop-up 6,000-seat soccer stadium where people will have to pay admission to see a game. The Wanderers Grounds are part of the Halifax Common, a green space dedicated free of charge to the citizens of Halifax. It is a generic sports field where every sport, from football to baseball, is currently played. I am tired of seeing the encroachment of this cherished green space, in the heart of Halifax, by big business.
The other issue I have with SEA's proposal is that it includes the parking arcade at the QEll Health Sciences Centre as part of the plan. The ER parking lot is filled to capacity, forcing people to use the parking lot built to service people going to the hospital for treatment and medical clinics. As a patient, I have gone to appointments and had to circle the parkade several times before I found a spot, or waited until I saw a person leaving. If parking is already such an issue, the Wanderers Grounds is not the venue for this soccer stadium.
A new and much larger Halifax Common and public green space was created near Clayton Park. My suggestion is for SEA to pop up their stadium in Clayton Park, and stop looking to take the disappearing Halifax Common as a venue to make their profits. This goes for any other business venture looking to take over what's left of the Halifax Common that people enjoyed for generations FREE OF CHARGE! —Gary MacLeod, Halifax
Free cheers
With help from Canada 150, Breton Books has created an eBook called Great Cape Breton Storytelling. For the month of April, we are giving it free to every Cape Bretoner who wants a copy. Great Cape Breton Storytelling is available at capebretonbooks.com.
There are over 80 stories from the island's Mi'kmaq, Acadian and Scottish traditions. There are examples of our diversity with several immigrant tales. And as a bonus, nearly every story links to more stories online in Cape Breton's Magazine, also at no charge.
This offer is for all Cape Bretoners and anyone else who loves Cape Breton. It is a way we can all help keep the great Cape Breton tradition of storytelling alive. —Ronald Caplan, CM, Wreck Cove, NS
Getting ahead
In a recent edition of "Savage Love" there was a lady who said she wanted to have her boyfriend return the favour after giving him oral. Please pass on my email to her. —G.J., Dartmouth
Correction
The headline—"Joseph Laroche's final resting place"—and subhead ("The Titanic's only Black victim is likely buried in Halifax") on a story by Evelyn C. White in last week's issue gave the wrong impression about the (actually very low) probability Laroche's remains made it to Halifax. The Coast regrets the error.
