“Battleground: War Rugs from Afghanistan” at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown. I stop by the Centre every time I get out to the Island and am never disappointed. The stark modern bunker of the Centre stands in polar contrast with the soft, sleepy provincial image of Green Gables and The Gentle Island – the moment you walk up to the entrance, it’s already promising exhibits and shows you’d never expect to see.

That there’s an exhibit of such timely ripped-from-the-headlines importance is itself impressive – galleries elsewhere across the country put on huge shows all the time, and the wannabe creative in me eats it up whenever the opportunity presents itself, but then the emerg doc in me asks the same questions I put to patients in the Treatment Room: Why are you bringing this up to me right now? Why is this important today? (Could/should it wait for an appointment later?)

The title pretty much sums it up: rugs from Afghanistan that depict the ongoing conflict. The gallery frontispiece tells the story

Modern warfare came to Afghanistan with the Soviet invasion of 1979. After the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, a decade of civil war piled disaster on top of catastrophe. Now the global war on terrorism continues to fill the land and sky of Afghanistan with the machinery of war.

As always, Afghans depict on their rugs what they see and what matters most to them. And so over three decades of chaos, the customary flowers on rugs have turned into bullets, or landmines, or hand grenades. Birds have turned in[to] helicopters and fighter jets. Landscapes have filled up with field guns and troop carriers. Sheep and horses have turned into tanks.

There have never been rugs like this before.

There’s a shock value to seeing rugs like this. I imagine it might be sort of the same shock to “mainstream” visual art with the arrival of any of the “revolutionary” genres. In their own time, styles like impressionism, pop art, etc all threw the conventions of the medium to the wind. Viewers approach with a preconceived image of “normal” art, come across the new, and ask, “What were they thinking?!” Rugs like this, to audiences accustomed to woven flowers, birds and landscapes, do the same. What is going on over there?

The exhibition asks rhetorically, “Are War Rugs pro-war or anti-war?” The weavers are anonymous and the stories behind them unknown, so it’s impossible to glean what the intentions are. Figures are shown wielding AK-47s (loomed in perfect detail) at each other and locked in conflict – depicting the Russian weapon is clearly an indictment of Soviet intrusion; then again, AK-47s are ubiquitous, found in the hands of both the invader and invaded – perhaps it glorifies the struggle to liberate. The rugs are as complex as the conflict itself.

In medicine, art can be a useful way to enable patients to tell their stories and better understand them, especially when more “conventional” mediums fail. Traumatised children depict scenes of horrible injury and pain when they don’t yet have the vocabulary to express themselves – that was the first thing I thought of when I saw some of the rugs. Exaggerated, cartoon-like caricatures to tell a story for which they lack the words.

Later I felt bad – pretty condescending to think of the scenes as something a child would draw. But maybe it’s not so un-apt an association. Childlike, in its innocence: before intrusions by foreign powers – from the Mongols to the Soviets to today, Afghanistan was a fiercely independent society, perfectly content to have been left to its own devices since forever. A society with no aspirations of empire or imposition over its neighbours, until corrupted by outside manipulation.

Other rugs are more subtle – you have to look a bit more closely, and have a sense of what you’re looking for, to pick out the underlying shapes and instruments of terror. In a way it’s more distressing to see – the realisation that what seems like familiar patterns of colour and nature, that you think would make a pretty addition to the living room, hides something so sinister and destructive.

Maybe as this trauma settles, peaceful imagery will make a comeback, the same way how survivors of childhood abuse gradually incorporate positive themes into their art as they recover. The techniques of how these themes will be represented, however, may be radically different from the traditional frame-border-field format of the Afghan rug. After a generation of Western intrusion you see echoes of modern media making it into the loom today: 3D birds-eye (?helicopter) perspective

and even CNN-style news ticker and split-screens

However the art of rug-weaving turns out, I like to think that the unsettling sight of those War Rugs of helicopters, hand grenades and tanks rolling over Afghan landscapes in place of birds, trees and sheep, will make us better appreciate those birds, trees and sheep – the signs of peace – when they make a long-overdue comeback to rugs from Afghanistan. There’s a spot in my living room that just can’t wait for a Peace Rug like that.

Prince Edward Island is the best place to visit when heading out to see a game developer, says Sega of America’s digital content producer.

Ethan Einhorn spoke to students of both the Video Game Arts and Design and Interactive Media programs at Holland College’s Charlottetown Centre on Oct. 8.

He praised the students.

“They had a lot of great questions. They are clearly focused on wanting to understand what major publishers are looking for in games.”

The presentation was made possible through Video Game Art and Design instructor Chris Sharpley, once a co-worker of Einhorn’s.

Before becoming an instructor at Holland College, Sharpley was a game artist who worked for several different developers, including Sega.

While working at Other Ocean in Charlottetown, he did some of the design work for the IPhone version of Super Monkey Ball,  a popular Sega property and a game produced by Einhorn.

Of all of the producers he has worked with, Einhorn was one of his favourites, Sharpley said

“He was probably the most easygoing and easy to get along with and I’ve never had any problems with him.”

Sharpley saw the presentation as a possible source of inspiration.

“Hopefully the students aspire to follow their dreams like he did and if you put the hard work in you can work anywhere you like.”

The students enjoyed the opportunity to talk with Einhorn individually after the lecture, Sharpley said.

“Afterwards, he must have spent twice as long casually chatting with students, just as he did during the presentation.”

During the presentation, the students learned about the role of a producer in a game’s devlopment and a little bit of Einhorn’s background before he worked for Sega, said Sharpley.

If the presentation demonstrated one thing, it was even though P.E.I. is a small part of Canada, it is still possible to be employed with a full-time job, Sharpley says

“You could work on top international brands, dealing with people in San Francisco and Tokyo and see your work releashed globally and appreciated by millions of people.

Einhorn said he wished he had the same opportunities growing up that the students of the Holland College Video Game Arts and Design program have.

“I wish there were schools like this available when I was a student myself, but there was really no such thing as video game programs that long ago.”

Meaghan Blanchard spent many hours of her early teens in her room writing songs. Now, at age 20, she is one of the fastest rising stars in Prince Edward Island.

Both Blanchard and Racoon Bandit vocalist Fraser McCallum grew up in the small village of Hunter River and used their musical talents to work their way through the Maritime music scene.

Her start in music was when her mother started a church choir when her family moved to Hunter River, Blanchard said

“She thought, I have four kids, why not put them in a choir.”

Blanchard was 12 or 13 when she first picked up a guitar and started writing songs.

“They were very awful songs. Very angsty. Teen angst. Not even teen angst. Pre-teen angst, which is even worse than teen angst.”

Her first recording was done when she was 15.

“It was a demo of songs that I wrote up until that point. It’s funny. My brother still has the recording on his computer, my sisters have it, and my friends have passed it around to.”

Her music career really took off when she was driving home from basketball practice one night when she was 16, she said.

“It was at about the same time of the Canadian Idol fad. I heard this thing on Magic 93 about Maritime Idol. They said to call in and sing a song, so I called in and I got asked to come in for the final and I won it. Then I went up to CTV television and I was on TV and that was probably when people started realizing I was doing something with my music.”

Her career has taken off since.

“I have been playing at the ECMAs, I have been nominated and won some awards from Music PEI.”

In February 2009, she won Music PEI’s award for best female recording, best folk recording, best new artist, and songwriter of the year.

The award she is most proud of is her win for song writer of the year, Blanchard said.

“So I think it is all growing collectively as I grow.”

McCallum has a similar musical background. Growing up, he spent his time listening to his father’s 1960s vinyl records before getting his start in music, joining his high school band.

“It was around this time that I started writing songs. I started out doing open mics and that sort of thing.”

McCallum, now 23, eventually set up a band.

“We just released our first CD just a month ago.”

He enjoys performing at larger venues with his band, but he also enjoys solo performances at smaller venues like the Pen & Inkling Festival, held Sept. 20 in Charlottetown.

“It is a great way to write an individual acoustic type of song. You can have fun with it, mix things up a bit and you’re the only one who has to worry about it.

“So often an artist can play the same kind of music in front of the same kind of crowds. This exposes artists to a different audience and the audience to different types of music that they would not have seen in other venues. It is exposure for everybody.”

McCallum wears many hats. He is a graduate of Concordia University in Montreal. He decided to move back east to debunk the current trend.

“I’m also a writer as well. I write communications and promotional stuff.”

Racoon Bandit’s debut album, Campcraft, is available at Back Alley Music in Charlottetown. The band is online at myspace.com/racoonbandit. McCallum occasionally performs standup comedy at The Guild.

Blanchard planned on travelling south in October with some of her fellow Island musicians to Nashville.

“Myself, John Connolly, Dennis Ellsworth, Dan Curry and a few others are heading down in a rented van and bringing our guitars and we’re going to spread the word about what we’re doing in P.E.I.  It should be fun. Taking a few days off school. Teachers always love that.”

Holland College student Spencer Mosher, tries out the new wireless Internet connection in the Charlottetown Centre cafeteria. Conway photo

Due to a growing student demand, the wireless Internet connection at the Charlottetown Centre the first of what could be a series of upgrades.

On Oct. 15, the wireless Internet services provided at the campus expanded as part of a pilot project to make it more accessible throughout the campus.

The new wireless system is designed to be more stable and manageable, said Richard MacDonald, manager of computer services.

“It is  also capable of handeling traffic more efficiently.”

The new connection was made possible due to the co-operation between Computer Serivces, the Student Union, and the Computer Information Systems and Business departments, he said.

“With everyone working together, we have a better wireless connection here than we would have had if we did not co-operate.”

Still, there are only three routers providing wireless Internet for the cafeteria and bottom floor, he said.

“To provide coverage to the entire building would require 20, 30 wireless routers. We could eventually have 25-30 routers to provide full coverage.”

Students are enjoying the wireless connection, although there are some minor glitches.

“It’s pretty good. It goes down sometimes but other than that it works well,” said Spencer Mosher.

MacDonald said the main goal is to figure out the best way to have wireless access on a large scale for all Holland College centres.

“Students want to be connected and we want to provide it without students having to pay too much for it.

“It would be nice to have the same student experience in all of our major centres.”

Brian Langille filming and episode of The Langille Show. Conway photo

A man answers the door on Halloween. He is greeted by children in their costumes.

“Trick or Treat,” they yell with glee as they expect their sugary treats. The man choses trick.

He morphs into a horrific monster. The children flee in terror. This 30-second clip took  three hours of careful editing.

It was the opening of episode 189 of The Langille Show. It is the Youtube show created and hosted by Holland College’s resident Mac technician, Brian Langille. The episode, Sweet, Sweet Candy, serves as the show’s Halloween special.

A lot of work went into the making of the show’s introduction. In fact, it takes a considerable level of technical skill to make his face so terrifying.

Langille shot the original footage and took it back to his computer, where he began the editing process.

“I cut to the piece where I wanted to make my face to expand, export that, put in some after-effects and motion track it. Once I have it motion tracked, I can apply things to my face and make them move with my face. “

Then he was able to shrink his eyes and nose and puff up his face and everything else, he said.

“Once I get that done and rendered, I test and apply a couple more things. I changed the tone of my skin colour and I imported the sound and everything else.

“That is what gave me the demon effect. It’s fun to do something like that.”

Langille filmed the episode during his lunch break on Oct. 28 in his front yard. It was a beautiful autumn day in his quiet suburban neighbourhood. He couldn’t have asked for a better day to film.

In the driveway was the infamous van blown up in many an opening sequence. You’d expect it be in several pieces scattered across the lawn rather than parked in one piece. Perhaps he has a secret stock pile of vans somewhere?

Before the actual filming began, Langille went to his basement to gather some equipment. His version of the bat cave contains the technology that makes filming The Langille Show possible.

There were two 2,000-watt lights and a green screen used for indoor filiming, his microphone, camera and computer.

Langille grabbed his microphone, camera and tripod and headed out the door, but before that he had to make sure he was wearing his trademark glasses, hat and jersey.

“When I’m putting on the gear, it makes me feel like Clark Kent turning into Superman.”

Before turning on the camera, he noticed someone looking as they drove down the road. It happened before.

“There are times when people who are driving by will slow down to check out what I’m doing. I remember I got some strange looks from the neighbours the time I filmed the episode where I shaved my head.”

As soon as he had his camera adjusted to get the perfect shot, he began recording. He started things off with his trademark, “Hey!”

It echoed throughout the neighbourhood as he started his opening monologue. He let a little blopper slip out as he remembered he wanted to tell a joke about a tree but there was no tree in the shot.

He was able to improvise with a joke about the Toronto Maple Leafs and all was well.

The episode revolved around an incident which occurred on Halloween a few years back. He was in charge of passing out the candy, but instead ate the candy himself.

The shoot took about 11 minutes and besides a few pauses and bloopers all went smoothly.

There was one thing that seemed odd. There were a few moments when he would pace from one spot to another. The reason would be revealed during his editing process.

One of Langille’s biggest fans is his wife, Susan. He does some great work on the show, she said

“He puts a lot of hard work into every show and it really pays off.”

She usually doesn’t get to see any of the tapings since they are done when she is at work. But she is occasionally exposed to some content unseen by viewers.

“Whenever I happen to be at home when he is filming, I get to hear some of the outtakes. I get a good chuckle out of them.”

She has nothing but good things to say about her husband’s show.

“I think it is amazing. He makes it look so easy to do. He taught himself how to do it.”

After Langille completed filming the episode, he headed back to the basement to begin editing.

He took the opening segment and attaching it to the nine minutes of video he had just finished filming. After that, it was a matter of trimming the new footage and cutting anything he didn’t want to use.

He cut the jokes he doesn’t plan on using to get straight to the punchline.

He does this to take the over 10 minutes worth of footage and convert it to about three or four.

“Sometimes I realize that not every joke needs to be in there.”

Langille also revealed the reason why he was moving around so many times during the taping.

It is to compensate for not having a director to zoom the camera in and out. He also said he makes sure the time it takes him to move is taken out of the video.

“I also have to make sure to cut out as much dead time as possible, so that I am constantly in different spots on the screen and that there is no down time as far as silence goes.”

This process used to take hours, now it takes about 20 minutes.

“I got better over time and learned what material I want to keep or remove from  a video.  It comes with practice.”

After he completed the video it is just a matter of fading to black and inserting the final punch line.

“I guess this takes away a lot of the mystique.”

They are part of a very large group of people all around the world that wants to make poverty history, said the leader of the Island New Democrats on Oct. 17.

About 65 Charlottetown residents stood outside Province House in the pouring rain to take part in the worldwide Stand Up Against Poverty campaign. It was one of thousands of global demonstrations taking place over the weekend.

Guest speakers included Marie Burge of the P.E.I. Working Group for Livable Income and Island New Democrat leader James Rodd.

The protest began with an introduction from Cotelle Mackintosh, one of the organizers of the event.

Stand Up Against Poverty is a  global mobilization which calls upon society, schools, businesses and non-governmental organizations to band together with a message about the need to make poverty history, said Mackintosh.

“We are demanding that world leaders, including our own federal government, keep the promises they made back in the year 2000 to achieve the millennium development goals. To eradicate extreme poverty and develop a global partnership development plan all by the year 2015.

“We still have a long way to go.”

Following a short presentation from A Dare to Remember, Burge took the podium.

The P.E.I. Working Group for a Livable Income looks at how poverty affects a society and looks for a solution, she said.

“There is a solution and it would take very little effort on the part of the federal government and of our provincial government to create a poverty reduction strategy. We should feel ashamed that Canada does not have a poverty reduction strategy.”

Federal and provincial governments haven’t been living up to past promises to eliminate poverty and create livable income initiatives, she said

When governments do give money to help fund the fight against poverty, it is often for the wrong reasons, she said.

“We are concerned about the fact that even when governments create polices, most of the time they are only creating them out of charity rather than social justice. Charitable policies that only give a little bit here and there. It is a charity model that does not promote social justice for all people.”

The amount given in foreign aid is a disgrace, she said.

“Canada is showing that we don’t care about how the rest of the world lives or how our own citizens do.”

Rodd said the world has more than enough wealth and resources to eliminate both poverty and hunger, but the political and social will is lacking.

“The people of the planet Earth and her governments have not yet fully acknowledged the need to ensure that every individual has the right to the most basic level of sustenance.”

Governments should be held accountable, he said.

“Think about what our governments are doing. What can you do here today as individuals standing outside of Province House in Charlottetown to make poverty history? You can start by acknowledging that you are a part of a large group of people from around the world who want to make poverty history and are willing to make the elimination of poverty a part of their lives.”

Leader of the Island New Democrats, James Rodd speaking outside of Province House during the Stand Up Against Poverty rally. Conway photo

They hope to bring bring the East Coast Music Awards back to Charlottetown, said a city councillor during the Nov. 9 the council meeting.

David MacDonald, chair of the economic development and tourism committee, has been working with the event committee dedicated to bringing the event back to Charlottetown.

The city has a good chance to host the awards in 2011, MacDonald said

“We have been in discussions with the ECMA people and I think we are going to be able to meet all of the criteria they have. I am very optimistic about our chances.”

The ECMAs are a big event, which could benefit businesses all over the city, he said.

“It is good for hotels, good for restaurants, and good for our transportation industry as well.”

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee said he sees it as tremendous opportunity for the city’s tourism industry.

“Tourism is usually down in February and this is a great chance to bring a lot of economic activity to the city during an otherwise slow season.”

It is also a fun, cultural experience for residents, he said.

“It is great that our residents could have this nearly week long event to take part in and be a part of.

“It is also a great way to promote east coast music and to promote our own talented musicians.”

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford, during the Nov. 9 council meeting. Conway photo

Reporters need to come up with at least two new story ideas each day and a UPEI blog was created to help them, says the man who writes it.

Dave Atkinson created the blog as a public relations tool to give exposure to the scientific community of UPEI. Atkinson, a former CBC reporter, said he knows the pressure reporters face in coming up with new ideas.  He made the comment at a news conference Nov. 10 at UPEI.

He decided to link the university’s need for exposure and the media’s need for stories.

The blog provides reporters with information on the school’s science work and puts it in away they can understand.

To get the full story, Atkinson interviews those who do the research. Researchers often use scientic terms during the interview and it is his job to find out what it really means, he said.

“The best way to unravel jargon is to let them do it themselves. Everyone is human at their core, no matter how convoluted they seem.”

The best way to get them to give you the story is to put them at ease, he said.

“People will give you a great story if you give them the chance.”

His job is to take the research information provided to him by the science staff and translate the jargon to make an interesting story, he said.

“I make the researchers interesting characters in a story that people can understand and I then provide the information to journalists.”

He used the spread of chytrid fungus in Island ponds as an example. The fungus has been linked to the extinction of many species of frogs around the world. Researchers from UPEI tested ponds across the province to see how many frogs had the fungus.

“Sometimes the university will not give a press release and only post it on the blog. But there have been some stories that are so big that it wouldn’t be fair not to give it to everyone. The research that was done about the effects of the chytrid fungus on Island frogs is a good example of that,” he said.

Atkinson also provided some advice about with those in public relations.

“You also have to be careful when dealing with them because they could be a former journalist. A lot of journalists have gone into public relations and they know how to spin the story.”

Maria Forzan also spoke at the news conference. She talked about her research regarding the chytrid fungus and a parasite which has been killing songbirds on the Island.

Her research team monitors the life spans of different species of wildlife, Forzan said

“We do general surveillance to monitor wildlife mortality which we believe to be abnormal.”

Forzan has discovered song birds may catch the parasite from the food people feed them and the chytrid fungus may be triggered by warm temperatures.UPEI Research Communications Officer, Dave Atkinson. Conway photo

New machines have been brought in to scare crows off of residential properties after city councillors received compliants, says the manager of parks and recreation.

The project was launched Nov. 5. It allows residents of Victoria Park to use Phoenix Wailers to scare crows away from their properties. The wailers play noises the crows fear like eagles, gunshots and owl whistles.

Sue Hendricken said there are two reasons why the wailers were brought in.

“The primary reason was the noise and the second would have to be the mess the crows leave behind. The crow droppings, I mean.”

There are two wailers available, she said.

“We got one stationary and one mobile model.”

The stationary model is in use at a home in Victoria Park. Use of the wailer is free, she said.

“It is being done as a pilot project for the neighbourhood, to see if it helps disperse the crows from the area.”

The project was discussed at the Nov. 10 city council meeting.

Councillor Kim Devine said the crows are smart.

“If the crows are constantly fed in the same area, they will continue to go there because they have a good enough memory to remember to go there. I am in favour of making the public aware of how smart they are.”

Councillor Terry Bernard said the wailers are a good idea.

“I think this could be what is needed to send the crows back into the park and keep them off of people’s properties.”

Councillor Melissa Hilton said she had friends who once nursed an injured crow back to health.

“They named him Russel.”

New project set to scare crows away from Charlottetown. Conway photo

Eastern Provincial Airways Boeing 737-2E1 CF-EPL (msn 20396) YYG, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

Please click on photo or link below for full view, information, prints for sale and other photos:

http://airlinersgallery.com/2/2674a0b/#/gallery/beauties-from-the-past/eastern-provincial-737-200-cf-epl-62-grd-yyg-bd-lr-101737/

On a recent business trip I was very fortunate to find myself in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island (PEI), the extreme east coast of Canada. Always on the lookout for great local beers I discovered that there was only one brewery on PEI, The Gahan House Pub & Brewery.

Located on Sydney Street, ‘Gahan House’ is in the older part of Charlottetown and was built in 1880 by a prominent merchant John Gahan. It’s a very special building that later in its life became home to the ‘Sisters of the Precious Blood’ before becoming a pub/brewery. As soon as I saw the 19th century building I knew things were going to be good, maybe even a religious experience? I mean how could anyone brew bad beer in such a great place? The good news is they don’t, the beer is excellent.

The interior of the building is as old fashioned as it gets in this part of the world and creates the perfect atmosphere to drink quality beer, seven (7) in fact, all brewed on-site by brewmaster Trent Hayes.

Here’s their excellent selection.

A great selection of hand-crafted beers at Gahan House Pub & Brewery

I sampled several (hey I wasn’t driving), the ‘Harvest Gold Pale Ale’, ‘1172 India Pale Ale’ and ‘Coles Cream Ale’. All were extremely fine beers, well crafted and each with their own distinctive characteristics and flavours.  Picking a favourite is difficult but I might have to say the ‘Cole’s Cream Ale’ was my favourite, very smooth, nicely hopped and really easy to drink.

Added to that, the staff were great. I’ve read some negative comments about the service on other blogs but I have no idea why. The service and welcome we received was outstanding, so much so that we were given an impromptu tour of the brewery in the cellar and sampled some of the beers straight from the steel kegs. A real treat.

So, if you’re a beer lover then the Gahan House is a must when you are in, or close to,  Charlottetown and PEI. I for one will wear my “Gahan House Pub & Brewery” t-shirt with pride!

Ale, Beer, Brewery, Canada, Charlottetown, Gahan Beer, Micro-Brewery, Pale Ale, PEI, Prince Edward Island, Real Ale

MC300-MS5 York-Sunbury Historical Society Collection
Description (page 106)

If you are interested in any of these files then please contact the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

“Charles Sidney Burpee was born in Sheffield, Sunbury County, New Brunswick, on June 18, 1817, the son of Jeremiah Burpee and Elizabeth Stickney.  He was educated at the common school in Sheffield, and eventually became a farmer.  He was married twice: first to Mary Perley and then to Charlotte H. Perley.

He unsuccessfully contested the Sunbury County seat for the House of Assembly in 1854.  In 1867, he was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Party for Sunbury County. He was re-elected in 1872, 1874, 1878, and 1882.  At the General Election of 1887, he was defeated and retired from active politics.  In 1900, Burpe was made a member of the Senate of Canada, and sat until his resignation to become Commissioner to the Paris Exposition.  Burpee died November 29, 1909, at Sheffield.  He was survived by two sons.

The Burpee Papers, which date from 1814 to 1949, are largely made up of Charles Burpee’s correspondence in which political discussions play a major role.  A great deal of information on Sunbury County matters and personalities can also be found in the letters.  Material, which is not correspondence, is found at the end of the collection, and includes legal papers, notes for speeches, and general information on the Burpee family.  The series measures 13 centimeters.”

1 Letter from Mary Ann Rideout to her Uncle [?] on familial matters; [no place], October 28, 182[7].

2 Letter from T.W. Anglin to Charles Burpee discussing temperance and prohibition in their political ramifications; Saint John, February 18, 1856.

3 Letter from W.E. Perley to Charles Burpee commenting on the close election in his parish mentioning Mr. Pennington (free-will Baptist Minister), Glazier, Tapley, John Farris, Lunt, Plummer, James Hamilton, and the Orangemen; Blissville, June 16, 1861.

4 Letter from Charles Perley to Charles Burpee discussing the prospects of union mentioning Tupper and Charles Young; Woodstock, April 3, 1862.

5 Letter from R. Hoben to C. Burpee discussing the activities of the “Perley Party” mentioning Duncan Glazier, and others; Burton, March 21, 1868.

6 Letter from Moses H. Cobourne to Charles Burpee mentioning several political matters and some items of news from New Brunswick; Little River, March 23, 1868.

7 Letter from William Mowat to Charles Burpee asking about the Tariff bill and that a post office be established at the North Forks of Salmon Creek; Northfield, March 25, 1868.

8 Letter from John Glazier to Charles Burpee on his departure for Ottawa reflecting on Hoben and D. Morrow in a future election; Saint John, March 25, 1868.

9 Letter from R. L. Babbitt to Charles Burpee discussing the situation in the party caused by John Glazier’s appointment to the Senate. He mentions a possible party-split over who should be offered for election. He also comments on the Civil Service Act and the debate over the coming railway; Gagetown, April 1, 1868.

10 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee discussing Glazier’s appointment, and the railroad route in New Brunswick; Burton, April 2, 1868.

11 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee discussing Glazier’s position, A. Harrison’s stand, and the railroad route; Burton, April 7, 1868.

12 Letter from George Hoben to Charles Burpee asking for a position on the railroad survey or as a commissioner; April 13, 1868.

13 Letter from R.L. Babbitt to Charles Burpee expressing his views on the role of the Dominion Government with respect to pre-Confederation matters, the Repeal Movement, the railroad route, and the reaction to D’Arcy McGee’s death; April 13, 1868.

14 Letter from Amos Stickney to his cousin, Charles Burpee, inviting him to visit; Port Ryerse, P.Q., April 13, 1868.

15 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee discussing the Militia Law, the reaction to McGee’s death, the opinion of a Fenian, and some mundane matters; Burton, April 14, 1868.

16 Letter from C.B. Barker to Charles Burpee giving news from home, and discussing McGee’s death and the Fenians; Sheffield, April 20, 1868.

17 Letter from R.L. Babbitt to Charles Burpee discussing reasonable expenditures, the effect the railroad route has on public opinion of the Union, Glazier’s procrastination, and the militia Bill; Gagetown, April 23, 1868.

18 Letter from Nathaniel Hubbard to Charles Burpee commenting on Tilley’s unpopularity, McGee’s death, the railroad route, and the affinity of himself with Charles Burpee and R. Hoben; Burton, April 24, 1868.

19 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee sending news from home and discussing Glazier and the railroad route; Burton, April 24, 1868.

20 Letter from J. & J. Burpee Co. to Charles Burpee commenting on the free tariff in pig iron; Saint John, April 29, 1868.

21 Letter from R.L. Babbitt to Charles Burpee commenting on the constitutionality of some of the Dominion Governments actions; Gagetown, May 2, 1868.

22 Letter from Francis Collins to Charles Burpee commenting on the free tariff on pig iron; Saint John, May 3, 1868.

23 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee asking for the position of fishery warden mentioning Glazier, Perley, George Estabrooks; and commenting on the road money for Sheffield mentioning Moses Cobourne, John Townsend, Charles Upton and Samuel Ferguson; and on their candidate in the next election, mentioning George Morrow, John Glazier and others; [Burton], May 4, 1868.

24 Note from P. Mitchell to Charles Burpee suggesting Burpee vote with the Resolution for Fortification; [House of] Commons, May 7, 1868.

25 Letter from John Glazier to Charles Burpee telling him that Perley has been offered the Surveyor-General’s Office and commenting on the political ramifications of the fact mentioning Arch. Harrison and the next election; Lincoln, February 12, 1869.

26 Letter from Charles Burpee to Sidney and Tommy Burpee, his sons on familial matters; Ottawa, May 4, 1869.

27 Letter from Charles Burpee to his sons discussing familial matters; Ottawa, May 11, 1869.

28 Letter from Charles Burpee to his sons discussing familial matters; Ottawa, May 18, 1869.

29 Letter from Charles Burpee to his sons on familial matters and mentioning working long hours; Ottawa, May 29, 1869.

30 Letter from J.C. Burpee to Charles Burpee asking for mail service extension to “my place”; Chipman, November 28, 1870.

31 Letter from Charles Burpee to Tommy, his son, on familial matters; Ottawa, April 2, 1871.

32 Letter from Charles Burpee to Tommy, his son, on familial matters; Ottawa, April 22, 1872.

33 Letter from Charles Burpee to Sidney, his son, on familial matters; Ottawa, April 24, 1872.

34 Letter from E.R. Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, questioning Charles Burpee’s lack of support for Tilley and his government; Fredericton, March 6, 1873.

35 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee discussing the political climate in New Brunswick and his philosophy of individual responsibility within the political system; Burton, May 12, 1873.

36 Letter from M.C. Cameron to Charles Burpee discussing the Liberal Party’s victory in the election (mentioning Cartwright, Sir John A. MacDonald, Scott and others); and the possible political future of the Party; Gooluch, Ont., December 1, 1873.

37 Letter from M.C. Cameron to Charles Burpee commenting on the overwhelming defeat of the Tories with some candid mention of those who were defeated or elected including Blake, McAdam, Palmer, Domville, and Jim McDonald; Gooluch, Ont., February 10, 1874.

38 Letter from R. Hoben to Charles Burpee discussing the impact of the MacKenzie victory on New Brunswick and matters of local politics; Burton, April 6, 1874.

39 Letter from A.H. Gilmour, Jr. to Charles Burpee mentioning McAdam’s intention to carry on the law suit, the crusade of the Tilley Party against the McKenzie Government, the vote on the Riel Question, and the proposed treaty in trade; St. George, July 29, 1874.

40 Letter from M.C. Cameron to Charles Burpee discussing his own political situation, and the trade treaty; Gooluch, August 20, 1874.

41 Letter from Henry F. Perley to Charles Burpee enclosing a list of the tenders [missing] and discussing the cost of the dam at Oromocto; Saint John, November 3, 1877.

42 Letter from D.D. Glazier & Sons to Charles Burpee asking him to forward to the proper department their expenses incurred in clearing an obstruction from the Oromocto river; Fredericton, February 14, 1878.

43 Note from Henry F. Perley, Department of Public Works, to Charles Burpee regarding Glazier & Sons note [see 5/42]; Ottawa; February 20, 1878.

44 Letter from C.L.B. Miles to Charles Burpee seeking Burpee’s aid in getting a position as engineer on “some good road”; Maugerville, February 22, 1878.

45 Letter from C.B. Lockhard to Charles Burpee asking for a $500 loan; Blissville, February 23, 1878.

46 Letter from Samuel Nevers to Charles Burpee asking to have the lighthouse position occasioned by the death of James K. Hazen; Burton, February 16, 1878.

47 Letter from E.R. Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, discussing people and politics at home mentioning John Boyd, Armstrong, Kurr, Hepworth, Gibson, O’Leary, Howard McLeod, Tilley, and others; Fredericton, February 28, 1878.

48 Letter from C.B. Harrison to his uncle, Charles Burpee, discussing the applications for the lighthouse and the prospects for the next election mentioning Gerhardus K. Clowes, Brennan, McLean, Currie, Perley, Covert, and Sterling; Maugerville, March 1, 1878.

49 Letter from D.S. Duplisea, Post-Master at Tracey Station, to Charles Burpee asking him to help settle a postal matter relating to commission on stamps; Tracey Station, March 1, 1878.

50 Letter from A.S. Randall to Charles Burpee bearing news from home mentioning William Porter and Thomas P. Taylor and asking Burpee to get him an increase for keeping the post office; Lakeville Corner, March 4, 1878.

51 Letter from Hanford Brown to Charles Burpee sending a good deal of political news from home mentioning the Perley Party, Dell Perley, Covert, William Deveber, Hamilton, Calvin Tapley, Launchlan McLean, G.S. Brown, Charles Clowes, Captain Alexander, Brennan, Terry McAlroy, and others; Maugerville, March 4, 1878.

53 Letter from Hanford Brown to Charles Burpee concentrating on the political alignments in the county, mentioning Thomas Sterling, George Brown, the Dykemans, Dell Perley, Mrs. Hazen, and others; Maugerville, March 5, 1878.

54 Letter from A.S. Rileigh giving details on the political alignments in the County mentioning Covert, W.D. Perley, John E. Smith, E.D. Lockhart, J.W. Hoyt, and Arthur Graham; Hoyt Station, March 7, 1878.

55 Letter from E.R. Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, giving details on the political situation at home mentioning King, William Rannie, Henderson, Rafter, Smith, Domville, and others; St. John, March 15, 1878.

56 Letter from George Hoben to Charles Burpee offering his assessment of the political situation in the County and their chances in the upcoming election mentioning William Rutledge, W.D. Perley, Henry Estabrooks, and others; Burton, March 15, 1878.

57 Letter from C.H. Kingston to Charles Burpee regarding the political climate mentioning John Alexander, Thomas Alexander Sr., D.T. Hartt, J.R. Seely, and others; March 16, 1878.

58 Letter from C. Berton Lockhart to Charles Burpee concerning a loan with J.W. Hoyt as the endorser, to open a business in Hoyt Station; Blissville, March 16, 1878.

59 Letter from Moses Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, regarding his prospects of employment and an invention he would like to patent; Carleton, March 24, 1878.

60 Letter from M.H. Cobourne to Charles Burpee concerning the cutting of the public lot; Little River, March 28, 1878.

61 Letter from E.R. Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, concerning political activities at home mentioning Gibson, Pickard, Perley, Wark, Turnbull, Tupper, Fraser and others; Fredericton, April 4, 1878.

62 Letter from George Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, relating political news from home mentioning Elder, Domville, Isaac Burpee, and discussing business matters; Saint John, April 4, 1878.

63 Letter from John C. Tapley to Charles Burpee commenting on injustice in Montreal and asking for a cash advance and an appointment; Little River, April 8, 1878.

64 Letter from J.W. Travis to Charles Burpee on behalf of Mr. Turney and himself discussing local politics, the temperance legislation, and advising Burpee concerning some dissatisfaction in his area; Swan Creek, April 9, 1878.

65 Letter from Thomas Wright to Charles Burpee giving political news from home mentioning Dell Perley, Dr. Wiggins and Mr. Johnson; Salmon Creek, April 13, 1878.

66 Letter from E.R. Burpee to Charles Burpee discussing the political situation facing his uncle in the upcoming election; Saint John, April 15, 1878.

67 Letter from J. James Fraser to Charles Burpee discussing federal political matters mentioning Pickard, Crawford, Stephenson, Gilmour and Smith; Fredericton, April 20, 1878.

68 Letter from D. Morrow to Charles Burpee concerning the Isle of Haute lighthouse account mentioning Calvin Cogswell, Sir A.J. Smith and Mr. Verner; Steamer “May Queen”, August 10, 1878.

69 Letter from Charles Burpee to Sidney, his son, discussing both familial and political matters; February 28, 1879.

70 Letter from Hedley to C. Sidney Burpee discussing school-mates and related gossip, mentioning Dr. Jack; U.N.B., Fredericton, January 23, 1880.

71 Letter from Hedley V.B.B. to Sidney Burpee which mentions mundane college matters and comments on the House of Assembly and its incumbents; U.N.B., Fredericton, February 13, 1881.

72 Letter from Hedley to Sidney Burpee discussing social and political matters mentioning Mr. Covert’s death, Jarvis S. Verner, Sterling, Charles Harrison, and others; U.N.B., Fredericton, March 6, 1881.

73 Letter from Rosella —–, a child, to Grandma —– relating familial news; Upper Sheffield, March 12, 1882.

74 Letter from David Burpee to his mother, Mrs. P.E. Burpee, Bangor, relating domestic and familial news; Upper Sheffield, March 30, 1883.

75 Letter from David Burpee to his mother, Mrs. P.E. Burpee, Bangor, bearing news from home mentioning John Pickard’s death, cousin Hannah, Willie and Maggie Alexander, and several family members; Upper Sheffield, December 23, 1883.

76 Letter from Charles Burpee to Sidney, his son, discussing railroad matters in New Brunswick; Ottawa, March 27, 1884.

77 Letter from George Scott to George A. Perley concerning a land sale from Charles Burpee; Fredericton Junction, May 7, 1884.

78 Letter from Isaac Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, discussing the Central Railway mentioning Whitehead, Inches, Gibson, and others; Saint John, July 23, 1884.

79 Letter from Isaac Burpee to his uncle, Charles Burpee, discussing the Central Railway; Saint John, July 25, 1884.

80 Letter from Charles W. Weldon to Charles Burpee discussing business and political matters mentioning Backer, Judge King, Fred Fisher, Mitchell, C.L. Wetmore, and others; Fredericton, October 25, 1884.

81 Letter from John Quinton, grandson of Hugh Quinton, to [Charles Burpee] describing the early settlement of Maugerville, and the “renegade Allan”, and asking Burpee’s moral & literary backing to produce “Pioneer Days of New Brunswick, 1762-1783…”; Saint John, December 9, 1884.

82 Letter from William N. Allen to Thomas P. Burpee concerning a parcel of land; Sheffield, January 22, 1885.

83 Letter from Charles Burpee to Mr. Wilson concerning several memoranda on a mortgage; Sheffield, March 23, 1888.

84 Last page of letter from Attorney-General Andrew Blair to ———– regarding Sunbury County politics mentioning Farris, Taylor, and Morrow; [?] c. 1890.

85 Letter from L.H. Davies to Charles Burpee discussing the political situation of King; February 22, 1895.

86 Letter from H.R. Emmerson to Charles Burpee regarding the placement of W. Harrison; Dorchester, March 26, 1895.

87 Letter from M.H. Davies to Charles Burpee on the effects of the Manitoba School Question; Ottawa, July 4, 1895.

88 Letter from M.H. Davies to Charles Burpee discussing New Brunswick’s representation in the Laurier Government mentioning Andrew Blair, George King and Senator McClellan; Ottawa, July 16, 1896.

89 Letter from G.A. King to Charles Burpee discussing several political matters of the day mentioning Blair, Babbitt, Laurier, and Farris; Ottawa, March 19, 1897.

90 Letter from Andrew Blair to Charles Burpee discussing the possible appointment of a Fishery Inspector mentioning “Miles”, and John Anderson; Ottawa, July 2, 1897.

91 Letter of thanks from H.R. Emmerson to Charles Burpee; Fredericton, November 3, 1897.

92 Letter from Andrew Blair to Charles Burpee regarding the lighthouse; Ottawa, April 19, 1898.

93 Letter from Andrew Blair to Charles Burpee regarding the matter of the lighthouse keeper in its political perspective; Ottawa, March 27, 1899.

94 Letter from L.W. Davies to Charles Burpee giving his support to Burpee’s claims to the Senate vacancy; Charlottetown, September 1, 1899.

95 Letter from L.P. Farris to Charles Burpee agreeing with the suggestion of Burpee’s appointment to the Senate; Fredericton, November 9, 1899.

96 Letter from W.T. Whitehead to Charles Burpee stating his support of Burpee’s appointment to the Senate; Fredericton, November 10, 1899.

97 Letter from H.R. Emmerson to Charles Burpee discussing the hopeful prospects of Burpee being appointed to the Senate; Fredericton, November 11, 1899.

98 Letter from G.A. King to Charles Burpee reporting his conversations with Davies and Blair; Chipman, December 10, 1899.

99 Letter from Andrew Blair to Charles Burpee regarding Burpee’s appointment to the Senate; Ottawa, January 6, 1900.

100 Letter from G.A. King to Charles Burpee concerning conditions to Burpee’s appointment to the Senate mentioning Gilmour as the other candidate for the seat; Chipman, January 11, 1900.

111 Letter of congratulations from John McQuickin (?) to Charles Burpee; Saint John, February 2, 1900.

112 Letter from Robert P. Allen to Charles Burpee congratulating Burpee and commenting upon his appointment to the Senate; Fredericton, February 3, 1900.

113 Letter of congratulations from D. Morrow to Charles Burpee, which also discusses a postal matter; Oromocto, February 9, 1900.

114 Letter from Thomas Harrison to Charles Burpee concerning the re-issuance of a grant to the University of New Brunswick; Fredericton, February 12, 1900.

115 Letter from W.H. Steeves to Charles Burpee congratulating him on his appointment to the Senate, and requesting the position of enumerator in the upcoming census; Waasis, March 1, 1900.

116 Letter from Daniel E. Smith to Charles Burpee congratulating him on his appointment and requesting the position of enumerator in the up-coming census; Hoyt Station, March 9, 1900.

117 Letter from W.W. Hubbard to Charles Burpee regarding weights and measures legislation and farmer representation in Ottawa; July 5, 1900.

118 Letter from Arthur Glazier to Charles Burpee thanking him for his kindness; Fredericton, July 6, 1900.

119 Letter from A.S. White to Charles Burpee thanking Burpee for his kindness on he occasion of his [White's] defeat; [no place], November 15, 1900.

120 Letter from A.S. White to Charles Burpee presenting his philosophy and use of patronage; Sussex, December 12, 1900.

121 Letter from Thomas A. Kelly to Charles Burpee regarding a mortgage; Blissville, March 6, 1901.

122 Letter from T.G. Kelly to Charles Burpee regarding a transfer of a mortgage; Blissville, March 22, 1901.

123 Letter from G.G. King to Charles Burpee regarding the buoy service; Ottawa, May 3, 1901.

124 Letter from E.R. Burpee to “Uncle——” regarding domestic matters; Bangor, September 17, 1901.

125 Letter from Agnes Burpee to her uncle, Charles Burpee, bearing sympathy on the death of his wife; Mount Pleasant, February 4, 1903.

126 Letter from Moses —– to his uncle, Charles Burpee, bearing regrets on the death of his wife; Houlton, February 6, 1903.

127 Letter from H.R. Emmerson to Charles Burpee regarding Stephen Appleby and the Liberals in Carleton County; Dorchester, October 31, 1903.

128 Letter from Stephen B. Appleby to Charles Burpee regarding the situation of the Liberal Party in Carleton mentioning the “Carvell gang”, Tweedie, Jones, and Blair; Woodstock, November 12, 1903.

129 Letter from “Glenn” to “Dear Squire” bearing familial news; Boiestown, July 21, 1909.

130 Letter from Premier J.D. Hazen to Charles Burpee accepting his resignation as Commissioner for the Parish of Sheffield Civil Court; Saint John, April 22, 1910.

131 Letter from “Uncle Tyler” to his niece concerning familial matters; Fredericton, June 17, 1915.

132 Letter from Lizzie B. George to Mr. ? Burpee answering a query on teachers at the Sheffield Grammar School; Upper Sackville, September 29, 1934.

133 Letter from ——- to “Family” concerning familial matters; Fredericton, March 25, 1949.

134 Twenty-six deeds; 1815-1897.

135 Sixteen mortgages; 1857-1887.

136 Four leases; 1853-1884.

137 Twenty memoranda of agreement; 1851-1887.

138 Four bonds; 1850-1885.

139 Two awards of arbitration; 1858 and 1910.

140 Thirty-nine summons issued by C. Sidney Burpee as Commissioner for the Parish of Sheffield Civil Court; 1903-1909.

141 Miscellaneous receipts and invoices; 1860-1910.

142 Notes used by Charles Burpee for speeches; n.d.

143 Nine certificates and commissions to Samuel Randal, Charles Burpee, George A. Inch (5), C. Sidney Burpee (2); 1869-1903.

144 Miscellaneous printed items relative to the Burpee Family; 1854-1944.

145 Notes on Senator Charles Burpee and his papers prepared by the York-Sunbury Historical Society.

146 A sketch of the Sheffield Academy, two lists prepared in 1919 of Academy men, and a notebook containing information in the academy.

147 Sheffield Parish Voters’ List; 1920.

148 Poem by Thomas Gilbert encouraging the voters to send Charles Burpee, not Ned Perley, to Ottawa in the next election; n.d.

149 Notebook used to record receipts, genealogical information, and religious notes; c. 1814-1870.

150 Minute book of the Total Abstinence Society of Sheffield, 1846-1850; (includes Society constitution, membership and activities).

151 Notes of Lorenzo Sabine on the Loyalists that landed in Saint John on May 18, 1783, aboard the Ship “Union”; 1847.

Photographed by Martin Cathrae

Icy Trees dominate the UPEI campus, and I think it’s really beautiful. This was Tuesday, a very grey, still freezing rain day.

– License

Loyal reader and friend of the Double P’s, Romina, recently visited Charlottetown, PEI. Sure she was on vacation, but that didn’t stop us from insisting she report on the best eats from out East.

The nice thing about returning to a place you love with someone who’s never been before is experiencing it with fresh eyes…and taste buds. This summer, my partner joined me in Charlottetown where I was visiting my best friend, Mo. I love everything PEI: the breezy weather, the boardwalks, the red sand, and of course, the yummy food. Charlottetown may be small, with fewer than 35,000 citizens, but it does not disappoint when it comes to exceptional cuisine (and is, surprisingly, home to the most Lebanese restaurants per capita in Canada).

We were lucky enough to stay with the lovely Duffy-Cobb family who treated us to a lobster dinner at their cottage. Each of us devoured a two-pound lobster that we picked up at MacKinnon’s, aka Lobster on the Wharf (2 Prince St.). You can purchase both the live and cooked variety here, and if you’re going for the latter, I would highly recommend forking over the extra $2 to get them cracked. But you don’t need to fly all the way to Charlottetown to partake in this lobster fantasy.

MacKinnon’s takes orders online and ship anywhere serviceable by Air Canada, FedEx or UPS. The sumptuous fare was rounded out by mussels steamed in a white-wine sauce, plenty of creamy potato and pasta salad, and fresh buns from the Farmers Market (100 Belvedere Ave.).

If you’re not blessed with your own Charlottetown crew to prepare a home-cooked meal, you can indulge in much lobster-related fare throughout the city. Fishbones Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill on Victoria Row (136 Richmond St.) specializes in seafood and offers a Sunday Jazz Brunch.

The pan-seared Digby Scallops ($13) with leek “frizzle” and mango “fresco” were delectable and bigger than imagined. The “Chow-Dah” ($10) was substantial enough to be a meal in itself, with large chunks of scallops, lobster, clams and other seafood treats within the smooth creamy base. Though the Frites ($9) themselves were disappointingly dry, they were paired with an amazing — and not overpoweringly spicy — Lobster Chipotle Aioli. (For a more flawless spud experience, I recommend checking out Taters in Peake’s Wharf.)

Devouring lobster, scallops, chow-dah and potatoes may all sound stereotypically PEI, but when you’re visiting with a first-timer you’ve got to show them the best of the best. And when they insist on meeting Anne of Green Gables, well, you’ve got to oblige and do that too.

Charlottetown Farmers Market / 100 Belvedere Avenue
902 626 3373 / Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm

MacKinnon’s aka Lobster on the Wharf / 2 Lower Prince Street
902 894 9311

Fishbones Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill / 136 Richmond Street
902 628 6569 / Monday to Sunday, open at 11 am