It’s not often that a rally sells out, but perhaps that’s an indication of the passion some feel for keeping the SS Keewatin in Port McNicoll.
While COVID-19 is definitely playing a factor in the need to limit the Saturday afternoon gathering to 100 people, Keep Keewatin Home principal Dan Travers said the rally gives the public an important opportunity to voice their opposition to Skyline Investments potentially moving the Edwardian-era vessel to a Kingston maritime museum.
“This is an opportunity for supporters to get together for the first time since provincial reopening rules allow and make a public demand for the federal government and Skyline Investments to keep the Keewatin where its history and heritage lives - in Port McNicoll,” said Travers, who spearheaded the Keep Keewatin Home sign and website campaign.
But the crowd slated to gather near the ship Saturday likely could have been much larger, according to Travers.
“Because of the 100-person limit (due to stage three rules), this is a ticketed event,” he said. “After posting the eventbrite ticketing link to our 13,500 supporters on change.org, the event sold out in less than six hours over the weekend!”
And with the ship's future seemingly remaining in a state of limbo, Travers said the event’s timing comes at an opportune juncture.
“The vessel's status is still undecided - our campaign has asked for a meeting with Skyline Investments several times to show a revised application to Canadian Heritage but have been rebuffed each time,” Travers told MidlandToday.
“The federal government will play a key role in where the ship goes and the message to them from Simcoe North is clear - all five federal candidates in the current election have confirmed they will be in attendance at Saturday's event.”
But just last month, MidlandToday obtained a letter where a Minister of Canadian Heritage staffer tells Keewatin boosters that since the ship is privately owned, the decision of where it resides rests solely in the hands of its owners (Skyline Investments Inc).
Writing on behalf of Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbault, Josée Ethier tells Travers and other supporters that the government won’t become involved in the push to keep Skyline from moving the vessel from Port McNicoll to the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston for a charitable tax receipt.
“The Government of Canada recognizes the important work that has been done by the Friends of the Keewatin and the volunteers towards the preservation of the ship,” writes Ethier, who serves as director of the Ministerial Correspondence Secretariat.
“However, it is important to note that the decision to donate the property to one heritage organization over another is a private matter.”
At the time, Travers called the response "cowardly" and noted "the federal government has the power to bring historical artifacts of considerable heritage and historical value under their protection, this is what we are now asking the Heritage Minister to do, until arbitration can decide the vessel's status.”
He said the upcoming rally provides a great opportunity to show how strong the public commitment to keeping the ship in its home port.
“Until recently an event such as this was not possible due to lockdown, this is our opportunity to gather, safely, and show that we are real people behind the petition signatures - supporters of local heritage, members of the community and those with a personal association with the ship.”
The event gets underway at 2 p.m., and features the Midland Legion Pipes and Drums, the Keep Keewatin Home Cry from Judy Contin (Midland's Town Crier) and Steve Travers (Barrie's Town Crier) as well as speeches from Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton, Tay Township Mayor Ted Walker, Friends of Keewatin curator Fred Addis and Dan Travers. There will also be live music provided by Tyler French with everything pushed to Sunday in the event of rain.
And with the event sold out, Travers said they’ve received numerous emails from supporters asking if they can still show up at the rally.
“At this time we are limiting attendance only to ticket holders, in line with COVID regulations,” he said, adding non-ticket holders who do come down to the rally site will be asked to stay outside the roped-off area and maintain physical distancing at all times.
“The health and safety of our supporters is our number one priority. We would love to have all 13,500 supporters at the vessel, regretfully we can have just 100.”
Travers said the event will also be recorded and broadcast on Rogers TV for those who wish to see it - days and times of broadcast will be featured on the group's website and on the group's social media channels.
