The Rotary Club of Port Hawkesbury and the Nova Scotian companies Canadian Pioneer Estates Ltd. and Canec Land Developments Inc. have been working together on many projects. Patrick Lamey the former president of the Rotary Club of Port Hawkesbury had approached Rolf Bouman the president of Canadian Pioneer Estates Ltd. and Canec Land Developments Inc. to construct together with the Rotary Club and the Port Hawkesbury community a playground for children. This playground is the biggest one in Cape Breton.
Rotary International Convention, Hamburg (4 min.)
The Rotary International Convention in Hamburg
A second project where Mr. Bouman’s corporate Nova Scotian group worked together with the Rotary Club is being shown in this video. In order to extend more help to Indigenous communities and to facilitate reconciliation Mr. Bouman founded the Indigenous Friends United initiative. This initiative and members of the Rotary Club of Port Hawkesbury went together to the Rotary International Convention in 2019 in Hamburg, Germany.
Proudly displaying North American Indigenous art, heritage, and culture to the world
They were joined by former Nova Scotia premier Rodney MacDonald who is one of the directors of the Friends United initiative and Canadian, Indigenous artists such as for instance Jay Bell Redbird. Together they proudly displayed North American Indigenous art, heritage, and culture to the world. Many friendships and partnerships were formed at the 2019 Rotary International Convention as can be seen in this short video.
The Friends United International Convention Centre
The video was also in part filmed at the Friends United International Convention Centre in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. On over more than 24,000 sqft. of space, more than 40 Indigenous artists are displaying their artwork and conveying messages and stories of their lives and ancestors. People from all across the world come to this facility and join the Rotary Club and the Friends United initiative in honoring North America’s First Nations together. Many Indigenous artists from all across Canada can be seen on-site as there are also workshops for the artists.