Allow children to sing at lecture

Every year around this time, the Symons Medal and Lecture on the State of the Canadian Confederation occurs in Charlottetown, marking the meetings of the Fathers of Confederation.

Preparations are underway for the annual event, and every year, the Confederation Centre Youth Chorus is invited to perform. Youth aged 8 to 18 years of age take to the stage and sing a rendition of O Canada and the Island Hymn and are given the opportunity to perform a couple of other melodies. But not this year.

This year’s recipient of the Symons Medal is Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts has opted to “modify its protocols,” thereby eliminating the role for the Youth Chorus. How disappointing.

This is the same youth chorus that was invited to sing at the Vatican in April of this year, yet the Confederation Centre won’t allow the youth, the future of our country, to sing for their own Prime Minister. Ironic given the topic of the theme of the Symons lecture, isn’t it?

Confederation Centre of the Arts: shame on you — you should let the children sing!

Linda MacLean,

Stratford