There has been a scurry of social media activity around Halifax over the past two weeks as the City / Transit Authority launched an online survey to determine the name of a new ferry to work the harbour waters here. There are five nominees: two soldiers, a hero of the Halifax explosion, a recently deceased local politician, and Viola Desmond.
For those who do not know the Viola Desmond story, here is a recent Heritage Minute that tells her story as a black Nova Scotian woman, caught in the web of segregation laws in 1950s Nova Scotia. (Viola Desmond is often referred to as 'Canada's Rosa Parks', though her act of disobedience was actually many years earlier.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie0xWYRSX7Y&list=PL1848FF9428CA9A4A&index=1
And here's a link to a related article in Nova Scotia Advocate - an on-line alternative media in Halifax, that provides both background and context.
Bottom-line: this is a military town that goes to inordinate lengths to glorify its military heroes in its boats, buildings and statues. (The other two ferries are both named after soldiers.) So it would be great to 'rock the boat' just a bit this time and get the next Halifax Ferry named after Viola Desmond.
There has been an active little social media campaign reaching across the black, progressive, and women's communities here. But the competition will surely be tough: a single e-mail from an officer inside the navy base to the troops will probably generate 5,000 votes for "their" candidate.
So if Babblers can take a minute to vote at the site below, - and perhaps even share this message in your own circles, - that support would be much appreciated!
The deadline is Monday at midnight! (And its one vote per device. Just saying ....)
Thanks!