Scottish Culture Celebrated Through Tartan Act Amendments

The province is officially recognizing Tartan Day and incorporating the description of the Nova Scotia tartan in legislation.

Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister David Wilson announced the amendments to the Tartan Act today, April 10, at a ceremony at Province House.

"Nova Scotia was the first province in Canada to celebrate Tartan Day and the first to create its own tartan as ways to honour the contributions of Scottish culture to our shared heritage," said Mr. Wilson.

"Today we're ensuring that future generations of Nova Scotians will appreciate that heritage by enshrining in legislation the description of this proud provincial symbol and officially marking April 6 each year as Tartan Day."

The first Tartan Day was celebrated in 1987 by a provincial proclamation at the request of the Federation of Scottish Culture in Nova Scotia. It has been marked every year since then and is now celebrated across the country. With the proposed amendments, Nova Scotia will, for the first time in legislation, officially designate April 6 as Tartan Day in the province.

"The tartan is a potent symbol of community identity," said Tom Wallace, president of the Federation for Scottish Culture in Nova Scotia. "The symbolic use of colours in the Nova Scotia tartan has come to represent the people of Nova Scotia, regardless of origin. Our tartan is both an emblem and a symbol. We are enthusiastic about the proposed changes to the Tartan Act."

In 2013, the province will mark the 60th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Tartan. Created in 1953 by Bessie Murray for display at the agricultural exhibition in Truro, the tartan was officially adopted as provincial symbol in 1955 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Nova Scotia Tartan Ltd. that licensed its use by the province. It was registered in Scotland in 1956.

The Tartan Act was created in 1964 to regulate the use of the tartan and recognize its status as a provincial symbol in legislation. The amendments will, for the first time, include the officially registered description of the tartan in time for the 60th anniversary of its first appearance.

The act is also being updated to reflect that the Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage is responsible for the legislation.