Viola Desmond Designated Person of National Historical Significance

This day was a long time in the making and I am truly honoured to have been able to be there in person as we recognize an icon in the Canadian civil rights movement

August 2022

I was honoured to be outside the former Roseland Theatre to formally recognize Viola Desmond as a person of National Historical Significance.

This formal designation included the unveiling of an official Government of Canada plaque that is affixed to the building, and Viola’s courageous stand against racial inequality will forever be included as part of Parks Canada’s collection of National Historic People, Places, and Events.

After refusing to sit outside of the “whites only” section in the Roseland Theatre, Viola Desmond was arrested, charged, tried, and convicted, for tax evasion of all things. This conviction was wrongly justified at the time due to her paying 1 cent less for the balcony ticket while sitting in the floor seats. Her unsuccessful appeal to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia resulted in a turning point for equal rights in Canada.

Although she has since passed, Viola Desmond’s strength and determination in combatting racism continues to have a positive impact on our communities and has advanced the national discourse on the need to combat anti-black racism.

Thank you to everyone who took part in this important event as we continue to celebrate Viola’s legacy to advance racial equality across Canada.