228 THEISLAND ACADIANS

was to bring to the Island hundreds of millions of dollars designed to support a variety of development programs which would sup- posedly enable the creation of economically viable companies. This government intervention radically transformed the socio-economic fabric of the province and, in fact struck a blow to traditional rural and village life.

The Development Plan

This Plan is based on a development strategy that would bring about full economic exploitation of the Island’s large and potentially profitable re- sources for agriculture. Other main features of the stategy are: a considerable development of tourist facilities; better utilization of forest assets; rationali- zation of fisheries; extension of education programs and training for the full development of the labour force potential; increased efficiency and some expansion in processing and manufacturing industry; investment in housing, health and welfare services and other infrastructures required for effective development.

Development Plan for Prince Edward Island. Ottawa, Department of Regional Economic Expansion, 1969, pp.23-24.

During the first ten years of the implementation of the Plan, the Island underwent profound changes: modernization of the educational system, diversification of the economy and increased governmental services. All this brought about a temporary resurgence in the economy. For the first time in a century there were more people immigrating to the Island than there were emigrating’.

Nevertheless the Development Plan was not considered to be totally successful since several important objectives were not met*. Moreover, the authors and those who implemented the Plan were often accused of being insensitive to the preservation of local culture. The Acadians were particularly concerned about this matter since the Plan took no account whatsoever of the francophone communities in the province. There was never any focus on the development of a policy that would enhance the cultural and linguistic vitality of the Acadians. At most, the publications designed to describe the Plan to the general public were translated into French. Even this was merely to fulfil the new requirements of the federal government pertaining to the official languages’.