The Petition to Obtain an Apology for the Acadian Deportation: 'Warren A. Perrin, Et Al. Versus Great Britain, Et Al.'

I. INTRODUCTION Early in the seventeenth century, France founded a colony in North America called Acadie . 1 While the colonists, called Acadians, prospered and developed their own culture on the fertile marshlands for over one hundred and fifty years, 2 France and Britain vied for control of the region. Britain won sovereignty over Acadie ; it was renamed Nova Scotia in 1713. Four decades later, prior to the start of the "Seven Years' War," British officials deported many Acadians. 3 France and England settled the war in the 1763 Treaty of Paris. 4 However, the Acadians were prohibited from returning to their lands; their exile was continued in effect. 5 After being exiled, imprisoned and scattered about, some Acadian refugees 6 found refuge in south Louisiana. 7 As their settlements 8 spread across bayous and prairies, their English speaking neighbors shortened the French term "Acadien" to "Cadien" then to the present-day "Cajun." 9 In 1990, the Petition was commenced to officially declare an end to the Acadian exile because it was carried out in violation of English and international law; therefore, the British government and Crown have a moral obligation to acknowledge that a wrong occurred: the Acadians should not have been exiled 10 as criminals. 11 II. SUMMARY OF THE PETITION A. Background For the last two hundred and fifty years, the Acadians have been trying to overcome the sudden and irrevocable loss of their land, the destruction of their communities and separation of their families. ...