The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1967, Blaðsíða 38

36
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Summer 1967
1440 by a Swiss monk. At the top left
hand corner of tire map is inscribed
the information that Vinland was dis-
covered by Bjarni Herjolfsson and
Leifr Eiriksson who found it a land
of great fertility and many vines. The
two inlets leading to the Hudson’s Bay
and the Gulf of St. Lawrence are clear-
ly discernible on this map.
The recent archaeological discovery
made at L’Anse-aux-Meadows, on the
northern tip of Newfoundland, by Dr.
Helgi Ingstad and his associates, has
provided scientific proof of the exis-
tence of early Norse settlements in
Newfoundland about the year A.D.
1000.
When the plaque is unveiled, it may
come as a surprise to you, Mr. Prime
Minister, and to others—as it did to me
—to see how small a portion of the
plaque is occupied by the original Ice-
landic version in the centre as com-
pared with the English and French
translations which appear on either
side. The reason, of course, is that some
of the original Icelandic words—1when
inscribed on thin leather—were ab-
breviated to conserve space. One letter
and a mark may stand for a word or
even a phrase. . . .
The discoveries of Bjarni Herjolfs-
son and Leifr Eiriksson surely consti-
tute one of the earliest chapters in
Canadian history.
I have the honour, Mr. Prime Min-
ister, to present this bronze plaque to
the Government and to the people of
Canada as a Centennial Gift from
Canadians of Icelandic descent.
Mr. Prime Minister, may I now in-
vite you to unveil the plaque.
The Situs of the Centennial Plaque
The Canadian Icelandic Centennial
Plaque has been placed on the wall
of the auditorium-foyer of the new
National Library and Archives Build-
ing in Ottawa. It is securely bolted to
the wall but, if deemed advisable, it
can be removed.
The choice was a most happy one,
even more so than either James A.
Langford, the Deputy Minister of
Public Works (Designs) or this writer,
who selected it and recommended it
to the Minister of Public Works, could
see in advance. The permanent chester-
field sets and other pieces of furniture,
have now been placed in the auditori-
um-foyer and they are so arranged that
everything is focussed on the wall be-
tween the two doors leading to the
concert hall. Halfway between the two
doors is the plaque and nothing, in
addition to the plaque, is to be perm-
anently affixed to the wall between
the two doors. The auditorium-foyer
may be used by departments of govern
ment for particular purposes and on
such occasions, paintings or other
works of art might be placed on the
wall or placed on tables immediately
in front of the wall. But in no case is
the plaque to be hidden from view.
There is another reason why that
particular wall was selected. The two
doors open into a concert hall which
is on a par with the rest of that mag-
nificent building—beautifully appoint-
ed, and with the most modern equip-
ment for T.V. and film concerts. There
is a definite need of a concert hall of
that standard in the capital city, and