MADAWASKA — For the first time since the U.S. celebrated its Bicentennial in 1976, the State of Maine has issued a commemorative license plate to mark a significant event – the 2014 World Acadian Congress/Congrès Mondial Acadien (CMA).
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| Contributed photo ACADIAN LICENSE PLATE — 2014 World Acadian Congress officials photographed with a large print of the Commemorative License Plate issued by the State of Maine last week include, from left, Emlien Nadeau, WAC 2014 president; Jason Parent, WAC 2014 Maine International president; David Rossignol, board chair of the Maine Credit Union League; John Martin, former State Representative and bill sponsor; State Rep. Ken Theriault, bill co-sponsor; and Sen. Troy Jackson, bill co-sponsor. |
Maine, regional, and local officials recently unveiled the design of the new commemorative plate at a press conference in Madawaska, and announced, through a partnership with the Maine Credit Union League (MECUL), that the plate is available for purchase at all participating credit unions across the state.
“The fact this is the first such license plate that our state issues in nearly four decades speaks volumes about our recognition of the outstanding contributions of the Acadian people here in the St. John Valley and of Franco-Americans throughout our great state,” said Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers. “It also demonstrates our recognition of the significance of the coming event that will bolster both economic and cultural development in the international host region.”
The CMA is a huge event held every five years in a region of the world inhabited by Acadians. It draws more than 50,000 visitors from 44 different countries and has an economic impact that exceeds $50 million. In 2014, the CMA will be hosted by the international region known as Acadia of the Lands and Forests, which incorporates the northernmost part of Maine, as well as northwestern New Brunswick, and southeastern Quebec.
The special license plate, proceeds from which will support efforts in Maine to organize the activities planned for Aug, 8-24, 2014, was initiated by former State Representative John Martin of Eagle Lake. Martin was the lead sponsor of the bill passed in the second regular session of the 125th Maine Legislature. The co-sponsors of LD 1611 were then Senate President Kevin Raye of Washington County, Sen. Troy Jackson of Aroostook County, Rep. Bernard Ayotte of Caswell, and Rep. Ken Theriault of Madawaska.
“I recalled that Maine issued such a plate during the Bicentennial in 1976 and even dug out the plate I had purchased more than 35 years ago to convince my fellow lawmakers that this could and should be done,” said Martin at the Dec. 19 unveiling ceremony. “The organizers of the CMA in Maine are doing an outstanding job preparing the region for the event and working collaboratively with their Canadian counterparts to organize the largest-ever event to come to northernmost Maine. Although they have received great support from the state, the fact is they are considerably under-funded when compared to the rest of the host region.”
The State of Maine has committed $1 million over a four-year period to help finance the CMA in Maine, however, efforts to secure $1 million in U.S. federal funding, as called for in the 2014 CMA international operating budget, have not yet yielded positive results. On the Canadian side of the border the federal government has committed $4 million to the CMA and the Provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec have each pledged $2 million.
With the clock ticking ever closer to 2014, Maine CMA officials are moving forward with planning keeping their fingers crossed that the state’s Congressional Delegation will help secure the needed funding. At the same time organizers are making necessary contingencies should the funds not materialize. Assuming all 6,000 limited edition commemorative plates sell, Maine efforts to host the CMA in 2014 will be bolstered by $90,000.
“The money we will raise with the sale of these commemorative license plates will certainly help us move forward in Maine. Fortunately, we are blessed with a truly committed and dedicated team of volunteers that grows by the day. We also have communities and organizations throughout the St. John Valley who are excited about the coming events and are mobilizing to make this happen in a truly grassroots way. What we may not have in financial resources we will more than make up for in sweat equity and community spirit,” said Jason Parent CMA Maine International president.
Maine efforts to prepare for the events were given a huge boost at the license plate unveiling ceremony. MECUL Board Chair David Rossignol of Norstate Credit Union announced that the commemorative plates would go on sale beginning December 20 at all participating Maine credit unions. He also announced that the first-of-its-kind partnership between MECUL and an event with statewide impact would, in turn, help Maine residents in greatest need. “We are so pleased that Maine credit unions will be the official distribution source for the 2014 WAC Commemorative License Plate and that they go on sale today at participating credit unions across our great state,” said MECUL Board Chair David Rossignol of Norstate Credit Union. “We are also pleased to announce that, as part of our partnership, the 2014 WAC Maine organizers have, in turn, partnered with us to support a key project of MECUL – the Ending Hunger Campaign. For every plate sold at any credit union in Maine $1 of the proceeds will support these efforts.”
A commemorative license plate is different than the official license plates issued by the state to support various causes such as agriculture, the University of Maine, and breast cancer, among others. It does not have any numbers/letters on its face and cannot replace the legally issued plates.
The legislation passed by state lawmakers, however, will allow for the CMA plate to be placed over the face of the existing legal plate on the front of the vehicle. The CMA commemorative plate will expire in December 2015 and can remain as the visible license plate on the front of vehicles registered in Maine through that time. The existing legal plate on the back of the vehicle must remain on and visible.
The CMA 2014 commemorative license plates will cost $25. The cost for the state to produce each of the high-quality metal plates is $9. Under the legislation, the proceeds (or $16 from the sale of each plate) will go to the organizing committee of the 2014 CMA in Maine. CMA organizers will, in turn, donate $1 to the Ending Hunger Campaign for any commemorative plate sold through a Maine credit union.
The license plates will be available for those living outside of the State of Maine at the official CMA souvenir website for the U.S. side of the border www.cma-store.com.
