New 10-year plan for Green Gables includes sharing stories of Indigenous, marginalized groups

For the first time, L.M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site has its own 10-year management plan, separate from the Prince Edward Island National Park. 

The plan sets out a vision for Green Gables Heritage Place, including three key strategies described as "The scope of visitation," "The pleasant ache of nature" and "Working with kindred spirits."

Linda Lowther lives in Cavendish and has been involved in various committees with both the local municipality and the tourism association connected to Montgomery's work and legacy.

They include the establishment of the Inspiring Places of L.M. Montgomery Literary Tour, a bronze statue of the author, and Montgomery Park in Cavendish.

"I'm happy that they separated it out of the management plan for the entire National Park. I think it makes perfect sense to have its own management plan. The mandate is different and the audience is different," Lowther said.

"There are certain things that I kind of chuckle [about] — for example, when it takes four years to accomplish something that should take a year or two. But that's pretty typical of how big organizations work."

Lowther said it's important to put effort into promoting the site, which the management plan calls for. 

"If you stay the same and you stay stagnant, then people won't come and visit again and see what's going on," she said. 

"I think we need to educate people about Montgomery, and what she did for our province, and what she did for literature."

'Woke Anne'?

It's the third priority of the plan — the one they call "Working with kindred spirits" — that is causing some controversy. Parks Canada says it wants to engage with Indigenous and marginalized communities and share their stories.

Commentators across Canada are describing that intention as a "woke Anne" agenda. 

Some of the headlines include: "Woke-Canada sets sights on making Anne of Green Gables more diverse," "Green Gables getting fresh coat of 'woke' paint," and "The Kidnapping of Anne of Green Gables."

Asked for an interview about the plan and the controversy, Parks Canada was not able to provide a spokesperson but did provide a statement to CBC News.

"Parks Canada will not in any way be editing or retelling any of L.M. Montgomery's literary works, including Anne of Green Gables. Both the novel and the character Anne Shirley are timeless, iconic and will never be changed by Parks Canada," the statement said.

"Parks Canada is committed to engaging with Indigenous and marginalized communities to tell their stories. Partnerships will establish linkages between the site and new communities, yielding new visitor experiences that share more inclusive histories and seek to advance reconciliation."

The agency noted that 2024 will mark the 150th birthday of Montgomery, who was born in New London on Nov. 30, 1874, and Green Gables Heritage Place will be commemorating the historic milestone throughout the year.

Icon 'will never be changed'

The final draft of Parks Canada's 10-year management plan for the site was reviewed by L'nuey, a Charlottetown-based group that "works for the advancement, implementation, and protection of the constitutionally entrenched rights of the Epekwitnewaq Mi'kmaq." 

CBC News sought an interview before receiving a statement from executive director Jenene Wooldridge.

"The inclusion of Mi'kmaq perspectives is vital in the stewardship of such historical sites, and we are pleased to see several new objectives and targets added to the final draft as a result of our input," the statement said.

"Adding opportunities to teach visitors about Mi'kmaq culture does not mean Parks Canada is changing the story of Anne of Green Gables. Rather, it enriches the visitor experience by providing a more comprehensive understanding of the historic and cultural context surrounding the site."

Wait and see

Lowther is waiting to hear more about what Parks Canada is planning. 

"The devil's always in the details. We have to remember what people are coming to Green Gables Heritage Place for," she said. 

"They're coming to learn about Montgomery, and they're coming to learn about Prince Edward Island, and they're coming to learn about the things that she loved, the environment, nature and all her works that she wrote, about her poetry and so on." 

"We don't know exactly what that's going to look like," Lowther added of the plan's engagement section.

"I think it's always a good idea to consult … As long as it's in the context of remembering what the mandate of the location is, then I'm fine with that."

The devil's always in the details. We have to remember what people are coming to Green Gables Heritage Place for.— Linda Lowther

Lowther said she is pleased to see increasing visitation to the site as a target, both from Islanders and from visitors to the Island. 

"As a former teacher, that's really important to me. I would like people to be able to know how important Montgomery is to P.E.I.," Lowther said.

"I think Islanders generally think of Anne, but they don't think of Montgomery. And I could say that's the same for a lot of people. But I think it would be important for Islanders to understand what a great person she was, and she was way ahead of her time."

Lowther would like to see the number of off-season visitors rise as well.  

"If we increase visitations in the spring, and then the fall, then it helps everybody. It helps economically, and it helps people have jobs for a longer period of time."