By Canadian Press

N.S. sends Boston its annual Christmas tree as thanks for aid 99 years ago

Nov 16, 2016 | 9:00 AM

HALIFAX — A broad grin stretched across Dave MacFarlane’s face as he climbed into his rig and glanced back at the 14-metre white spruce tree splayed across the back of his flatbed.

The Nova Scotia truck driver tooted his horn and waved to hundreds of onlookers gathered outside Halifax City Hall before setting off on a 1,100-kilometre journey that has been travelled for decades as a way of giving thanks to the people of Boston for their help in the wake of one of the country’s deadliest disasters.  

MacFarlane said Wednesday it was a “great honour” to be able to deliver the Christmas tree to the New England city, which famously dispatched medical personnel and supplies hours after getting word that the Halifax Explosion killed almost 2,000 people, injured 9,000 and levelled a Mi’kmaq village when a munitions ship exploded in the city’s harbour on Dec. 6, 1917.

“It’s pretty moving,” he said, as people snapped selfies in front of the 67-year-old tree. “I’m just glad to be part of it — people ask us all about the tree and they’re really excited.”

A large crowd stood under grey, drizzly skies as officials from the States, the province and Halifax gathered for the send off of the tree, which for the first time was harvested in Cape Breton on Crown-owned land close to the Waycobah First Nation.

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Premier Stephen McNeil said the tradition has helped forge close ties with the New England city, which will light the tree during a ceremony on the Boston Common on Dec. 1 that is expected to draw 30,000 people — with 240,000 more watching live on TV.

“It’s about saying thank you and recognizing when this province and this city needed help, the people of Boston — 100 years ago — responded not only with goods, but letting the people of this province know they weren’t alone,” he said.

“I think the value for Nova Scotians far surpasses the amount of money that we spend.”

McNeil defended costs associated with providing the tree and participating in the ceremony, which the government said Wednesday was $234,000 last year. A spokeswoman for Communications Nova Scotia said that included the cutting and transportation of the tree, send-off events, staff travel, fees and travel for musicians and two days of activities in Boston.

Much of that — about $116,000 — is spent on “sponsoring the Boston tree lighting event,” spokeswoman Tina Thibeau said in an email.

Some in the crowd didn’t seem to mind the expense, saying the tree symbolizes an enduring and special bond between the two maritime cities.

“I think it’s great to repay kindness with kindness and it’s a nice tradition to keep,” said Dan MacCormack, a Cape Bretoner who now lives in Halifax. “At least they’re not shipping it down on the Bluenose!”

Chris Cook, Boston’s commissioner of parks and recreation, said the “evergreen gift” will be viewed by hundreds of thousands of people in Boston Common — the first park in the United States.

“We could not be more grateful to have this reminder of how relationships between countries, between cities should be, can be and will be in the future,” he said, as children milled around with small Nova Scotia flags and tree saplings that will be donated to charities.

It’s believed Halifax sent its first tree in 1918, a year after two warships collided in the harbour. 

The Mont-Blanc — a French ship loaded with a highly explosive mix of dry picric acid, TNT, gun cotton and benzol — was struck by the Norwegian vessel Imo.

Fire broke out on the Mont-Blanc as it drifted closer to shore. Just before 9:05 a.m., the ship exploded with such force that fragments flew into buildings and became embedded where they landed. Buildings were levelled and hundreds of people were killed instantly.

The tradition of gifting a tree was revived in the 1970s, when a Nova Scotia Christmas tree association sent one to Boston as a show of appreciation.

MacFarlane said excitement has grown ever since he began delivering the tree four years ago and starts building as soon as he crosses into Massachusetts.

“People start realizing that it’s their tree and they wave, pull over and take pictures of the truck,” he said, joking that he gets a slight touch of nerves when he’s hauling the special cargo. “It’s a great trip, but it’s a lot better trip when I’m home and everything has gone well.”

Alison Auld, The Canadian Press