musitorial noun, a mashup of music, musings and editorials, music and song that evokes thought and commentary.
We can be encouraged by the continuing effort of Cape Breton municipalities to come up with a plan to reopen the visitor information centre (VIC) at Port Hastings.
It is counterintuitive for the government to have closed these centres, where local humans greet and advise tourist humans about places to go and things to do. To my shame, I didn’t closely follow the announcement of the end of the VICs, but I imagine one rationale for their abandonment is the allegedly ubiquitous use of individuals’ internet access while enroute to everywhere.
This might be an argument if cellphone coverage were available everywhere, but that is not the case, proof once again that Provincial policy centred in Halifax doesn’t always reflect rural reality. Nor does it reflect the apparent draw of rural settings for visitors, people escaping urban life, however briefly.
Consider this: millions are spent on advertising our way of life here on the periphery, why can we not extend that thinking to include our way of being? Remember the advertising slogan “Nova Scotia’s masterpiece, put yourself in the picture” (or something like that)? While it’s true that AI can do that for you (put you in a picture), can we not pretend for a few months of the year to be real? Nova Scotia and Cape Breton visitors are looking for quaint, friendly, pastoral experiences, which many call “heavenly.” Give them a break from their phones, for heaven’s sake. Give them what they want: people, not apps.
Now, like many real people, I am sometime prone to cynicism, so forgive me if I push this cost-cutting measure (closure of VICs) into the realm of sarcasm. Perhaps our omnipresent NSLC stores and licensed retailers could fill the role of visitor information services. It’s an intoxicating idea, don’t you think? Government liquor stores (including cannabis sales) are everywhere. The government could operate/licence visitor information AND make money!
Alcohol and cannabis sales seem to be a hot topic in recent years. A lot of government attention is directed there. It’s almost like intoxication is the opiate of the masses, not religion, and liquor stores are air conditioned to boot – they even have walk in coolers for coolers and beer. “Welcome to friendly Cape Breton, where our rural lifestyle is intoxicating. Here, have a Tory beer, it’s cold.”
Finally, consider my latest idea for a tourist attraction: our own sea monster that people can imagine seeing on Lock Bra d’Or. NSLC Cannabis can be the sponsor. We’ll could call him/her/it “Puff.”
Today’s musical selection, then, is Peter, Paul and Mary’s monster hit, “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Enjoy!
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Link to news story in The Reporter about attempts to reopen Cape Breton visitor information centre: https://porthawkesburyreporter.com/vic-project-awaiting-provincial-decision/
Link to Tom Ayers’ CBC News story (Feb 24, 2026) on loss of VICs: https://tinyurl.com/9n83fedz
Link to Wikipedia article on the song, “Puff the Magic Dragon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puff,_the_Magic_Dragon
Link to Wikipedia entry on Peter, Paul and Mary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter,_Paul_and_Mary
Link to Genius lyrics of Puff the Magic Dragon (song from a poem by Leonard Lipton, with Peter Yarrow, Warner Bros, 1963) including “play” link: https://genius.com/Peter-paul-and-mary-puff-the-magic-dragon-lyrics
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