Saint John black community won't get GG apology

The Governor General won't apologize to Saint John's black community for a 1785 decree that severely restricted where they could live or fish in the southern New Brunswick city.

PRUDE, the city's black cultural organization, wanted the Crown to recognize wrongs contained in Saint John's royal charter.

David Peters, a founding member of PRUDE, said he and other Saint John blacks are owed an explanation for the charter that officially created the city and contained clauses excluding blacks.

Although most blacks had arrived as Loyalists, and many had fought for King George III in the American Revolution, the charter barred them from living or operating a business inside city boundaries.

In addition, they were banned from fishing in the harbour.

'I really wasn't looking for justice because I know they believe they're above it. It was my conscience made me do it, my own conscience, so I could say, "David you at least tried something."' — David Peters, PRUDE

Parts of the royal charter that limited the rights of the black community were not lifted until the 1800s.

Peters wrote a letter to the Queen asking for acknowledgement that wrongs were committed in the name of the Crown.

Buckingham Palace forwarded the request to Gov. Gen. David Johnston so that he could consult with federal ministers.

An official at Rideau Hall said in a letter to Peters that they could not meet his request for an apology.

"I just want to know why," Peters said.

"I really wasn't looking for justice because I know they believe they're above it. It was my conscience made me do it [write the letter], my own conscience, so I could say, 'David you at least tried something.'"

A Rideau Hall official confirmed the response to Peters's request but declined further comment.

Peters has written back asking why the request was turned down, because there is some precedent for such an acknowledgement from the Crown.

"I hope I contributed just a little bit in seeing this development."

Louisiana Cajun activist Warren Perrin led a 13-year campaign for recognition of the hurt caused by the 1755 Acadian deportation.

Eventually, the federal government was convinced and it resulted in a royal proclamation by the Queen.

That document was signed in 2003 by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson.