NB Premier Takes Part in 51-Year-Old Tradition Connecting Border Communities

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt took part in a longtime summer tradition bringing together a border community in her province with one in the U.S. state of Maine, despite the ongoing trade war between the two countries.

The International Homecoming Festival is an annual event that includes several activities running simultaneously in St. Stephen, N.B., and Calais, Maine. It includes a street fair, concerts, children’s games, and a fireworks display.

It kicks off with a tradition that sees members from both border municipalities come together on the Ferry Point Bridge Crossing to shake hands and share flags. It’s an event that has been running since 1974.

Both Holt and Maine state Senator Marianne Moore participated in the opening event on Aug. 6.

Moore said it was the first time she had met a Canadian premier at the event.

“I was very, very pleased that the premier was there. This is one of the first years I think that we have had the premier there.”

The senator said she has participated in the event for about 20 years. Moore added that she and Holt talked about the situation between the two countries and how they wanted to see the festival tradition continue.

“I really enjoyed talking with her,” Moore said. “It meant a lot having her there.”

The Epoch Times attempted to contact Holt’s office but did not hear back by publication time.

Moore said she hoped the event was an example of the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

“We all know that the situation is dire for both of us, for both countries, and we want it to work, we want both of us to be successful. And I think by having an open, family-friendly friendship that we have maintained for over 50 years, is a good example for the rest of the country,” she said.

Conservative MP for Saint John—St. Croix John Williamson also attended the event, calling it a “wonderful” evening.

“Even with political leaders in Washington and Ottawa at loggerheads, the ties between our two communities as well as Maine and New Brunswick remain strong,” Williamson said in an Aug. 6 post on Facebook.

“Our border guards collaborate with U.S. agents to keep us safe, local firefighters from the two communities operate seamlessly, and families extend across both nations,” he said, adding the “ties that bind are resilient.”

One of the festival’s events, the International Festival Parade, had been cancelled by St. Stephen due to “lack of confirmed participation,” according to a statement from the municipality.

However, just hours before the festival started, the municipality said there had been a “recent and enthusiastic influx of parade entries from community groups, businesses, and cultural organizations.”

St. Stephen Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Renaud said he was “thrilled” with the strong community engagement and renewed interest in the parade event.

“Our original decision to cancel was not taken lightly, but with this overwhelming response, it’s clear there is significant appetite to see the parade return,” he said in a statement posted to the St. Stephen Facebook page.

The parade, which begins in Calais and proceeds through St. Stephen, will be held on Aug. 9.